Reincarnation
by Marun
Summary: When Link completes his quest, he is unmade by the Goddesses, to be reincarnated at a later time. When Master Hand refuses to allow this to occur, all of Link's live meld together in his mind, causing him to revert to different heroes sporadically. How will his friends and the other smashers cope with Link losing his grip on reality, and can they save his sanity?
1. Chapter 1

**_Author's Note: Just to explain. I am new to writing for others, so any helpful criticism will be appreciated. I will not write about anyone I am not familiar with. This is to ensure that I do not incorrectly portray anyone. For the sake of the story, The three Hylians are solely from the Smash Brothers universe, and Zelda and Link have no memory of other adventures. Ganondorf remembers all past adventures, but he won't be helpful in this adventure._**

* * *

The morning air was crisp and cool, the leaves outside were bright oranges and reds, bringing a sense of calm to most who made their home here. The early light was reflected by the moat surrounding the castle. Sunlight filtered through the ornate stained glass windows, leaving colored patterns on the walls and floor. The office was filled with classical music, for Master Hand was stressed.

Master Hand checked his papers and sighed. He had invited his smashers from many different plains of reality, bringing them together to learn from one another, to form bonds, to unite realities, and, most importantly, to sell tickets to their fights, gaining revenue. Each fighter had been carefully selected.

Initially, they were chosen for their prowess in battle, but as more sought to join the smash, and more dimensions wanted representation, Master Hand allowed less skilled fighters in, leading to less balance between the matches. Sometimes, fighters left on their own, and returned later. Other times, Master Hand had to block fighters from the battles. Nobody was ever kicked out of the castle, but they were barred from the official matches, which suited them fine. One of these fighters was Pichu. Pichu was just too gentle for the constant battling, and she now happily tended to the gardens and orchards.

The Hand had a policy though. No matter how difficult, he would never lose his first fighters. They were the ones he had wanted for his competition from the start. They were balanced against each other, and The Hand had grown fond of them. However, this policy was being tried.

Though he had done his research, he hadn't fully understood the fate of his reincarnating swordsman. The Goddesses were alright with Ganondorf being away, as he hadn't aged for hundreds of years, and the Princess Zelda would bear a child who would continue on the wisdom of her ancestors. Their Hero Link, however, couldn't be lost. They needed him in Hyrule to fight anyone who opposed them or their land, and the Golden Goddesses were anxious with Link away. In fact, they hadn't wanted him to go in the first place, but The Hand hadn't asked, he has just assumed that everyone would be proud to be represented.

The Hand knew that now, because of this error, he would have to return Link to Hyrule, and it would be years before a replacement reincarnation would arrive. Link would not return until he was needed, and then it would take incredible manipulation to acquire him for the tournament. Unless...

The Hand began to scheme, something far more daring than anything he had done before. He answered the letter with his reply, kindly explaining that Link was valuable, so he would remain at the Smash Castle. He then turned to his thoughts. He wouldn't allow a original fighter to go. No, he would have to enforce his own rules. He would ensure that the hero remained. He would prove his power and ensure that nobody dared to stand in his way again.

The Hand would defy the Goddesses, no matter the consequences.

* * *

Link awoke with a start, jerking upwards to a sitting position. His left hand glowed with the mark of the Triforce, puzzling the swordsman for a moment. Then he felt it. A strange urge to return to Hyrule. He didn't know why, but the he felt the need to leave the castle immediately. He quickly packed up his battle items and hurriedly left to find Zelda. He rushed out of his room so quickly that he tripped over Pikachu, crushing her tail underneath his foot.

"Piiiii," whined the little mouse Pokemon, looking dejectedly at her tail with watery eyes. She waved it around and sighed dejectedly.

"Sorry, Pikachu," Link said softly, upset that he had hurt the little creature. Pikachu looked up at him, and, seeing how sad Link was, she wiped her eyes. She then jumped up and nuzzled his knee, before running off.

Link would have gone after her, but then he felt the urge again, and remembered his quest. Jogging through the winding halls of the Smash Castle, Link searched for Zelda, hoping for some advice and guidance. Along the way, he met his close friend Mario, and asked about the princess.

"Zelda? I actually saw her a few minutes ago. I can lead you"

"Thank you Mario. If it isn't too much trouble, of course." Link knew that the Italian had his own responsibilities, but Link needed help.

"No trouble at all, Link. Let's a-go!" And with that, Mario led Link out the main hall, past the trophy room, and out the back, where Pichu kept her orchards. Sitting under an apple tree was Zelda, and in her lap laid Pikachu and Pichu. Pikachu's tail seemed fine at this point, and Zelda stroked the two Pokemon behind the ears. The little creatures were content, and a bit of berry juice dribbled from their chins, dripping onto the ground below.

As peaceful as it was, Link felt an urgency, and the need to set out for home was overwhelming. He tried to remain calm, but he wanted to sprint to his horse Epona, climb into the saddle, and gallop the whole way. However, he knew that he needed information, and Zelda knew more than he did about the Goddesses. Link walked over to her with a small jerk in his step, for she was in the opposite direction from Hyrule, and the call became more urgent.

"Do you want me to leave you for privacy?" asked Mario, seeing the worry on Link's face.

"No, you don't have to if you don't want to." came Link's reply. He sat next to Zelda and began to speak. "Zelda, I really need to return to Hyrule. Something's calling me, and I cannot refuse. I just... I feel like I have to go now. It makes me anxious, being away..." His left hand began to glow, the Triforce of Courage slightly brighter. Zelda's right hand glowed as well, with the Triforce of Wisdom showing up more.

Mario watched this with curiosity. Though he knew that they were marked, he had rarely seen their hands glow, especially not together like this. He knew something was up, but he remained silent, not wanting to interfere with the magic at work.

"Link, I feel that you need to return to Hyrule as well." Zelda replied. The princess had aways had a bit of formality, and though she had relaxed since coming to the castle, she was still serious when caught off guard. It was just as well, since the two from Hyrule had no romantic inclinations towards each other, though they were close friends.

"You had better go soon, Link. There is something serious going on, and you seem to have a vital part to play, yet again." Zelda sighed, gently removing the two sleeping Pokemon from her lap. Link was glad to see that Pikachu was fine, as well as Zelda losing the edge to her voice, but he was too anxious to dwell on the feeling.

Mario spoke up then. "Link, you ought to tell Master Hand where you're going so that he can plan for your absence."

Link agreed, and the duo headed off to the main office.

* * *

"For the thousandth time, no, nay, never!"

It had been a good twenty minutes, and what had started as a discussion had deteriorated into a heated argument. Master Hand was irate with the Goddesses, not at Link. They were influencing Link in a bad way, because the swordsman had never fought against him in all the years he had been there. The Hand had declined the Goddesses' summons, and they were now attempting to go against him.

Link was angry because the Hand was being unreasonable. He was the hero, for crying out loud. If he was needed, he had to go. He didn't ever feel such rage, and it was made worse because he was angry about being angry, making him even more furious.

Mario had remained silent, but he was worried and upset. The Hand wasn't making sense, and Link was being... abnormal. His usually gentle demeanor had been replaced by this irrational and violent creature.

Link shot back at the hand, "I am the hero of my entire realm. If I'm needed, I have no choice but to return."

"You have every choice! You cannot honestly tell me that there is nobody else in that idiotic Hyrule-"

"Do NOT talk about my home like that! I have to go! I'm choosing to go-"

"No. You know what! I choose to make you stay, and I OWN you!"

"I came of my free will, and if the Goddesses want my return, I WILL go back!"

The Hand was silent for a moment, and when he spoke again, his voice was low and menacing. "Link, the Goddesses have no say here. They do not control me, and they do not control you. You are staying here, and that is final. I do this for your safety. There is a terrible fate waiting for you if you go back. Stay here."

At those two words, terrible fate, Link shuddered involuntarily. He grew silent once again. Indeed, he felt tired, as though he could sleep for a thousand years. He nodded slowly, not realizing that the words were a reference to a past life.

"Mario. Please escort Link to his room." And with a wave, the Hand dismissed them from his presence.


	2. Chapter 2

Link walked back to his room, fighting the urge to curl up and sleep. As he wandered to his quarters, Mario remained silent, thinking of what had transpired, occasionally guiding Link from taking a wrong turn. Link just felt so... exhausted. He wanted to sleep for thousands of years, and he felt no reason to keep moving. Unluckily for both, Link made it to the stairs before passing out.

Mario sighed, then slid his arms under the 18-year-old's knees and shoulders, wrapping Link's arms around his neck. The bedrooms were located at the end of the third floor, and they weren't even halfway. Walking so as not to disturb the young man, Mario passed Jigglypuff, who paid them no mind, Peach, who giggled at seeing her hero saving another, and Samus. Samus knew that the two were close friends, but she saw that this could look bad. "What happened?"

"Oh, you know..." Mario had never been good at lying, but he knew that Link wouldn't want everyone to know about his fight with Master Hand.

"You don't have to tell me, Mario. Just be careful. Some people would read more into your current... situation."

And with that, Samus went off to train, leaving Mario with a fierce blush and an unconscious Link cradled in his arms. He was embarrassed that Samus would think that, and that others would as well. He finally found his way to the Hylian's room, thankfully without further incident.

Mario opened the door and carried the young man inside. He thought about the argument and the way that Link had seemed so... drained afterwards. Link was a bit lazy when there wasn't much to do, but this was ridiculous. Shutting the door, he flipped on a light switch and shut the curtains, cutting out the sunlight as well as prying eyes, since it was nearly noon at this point. Mario lifted Link into the bed with a grunt, then removed his gear, belt, hat, gauntlets, and boots, humming softly the whole while. Link was still fully clothed, just without the uncomfortable leather to wake him. After pulling the covers over the sleeping teen, Mario unpacked Link's gear and placed the items in their places. When he was satisfied, Mario flicked off the light switch, noticing that the Triforce on Link's left hand glowing brighter than before, casting golden light over the nearby wall. Sighing once more, Mario left the room, shutting the door quietly.

He knew that there was something more serious going on than a simple play for power between Master Hand and Link's Goddesses. Mario just simply didn't know what.

* * *

When evening rolled around, Mario returned to Link's room, where Link had awoken minutes earlier. Link was attempting to pack up to leave again, and Mario knew that if Link was caught, bad things would happen. "Link, you have to listen to me."

"Mario." The voice, usually so loving and kind, was devoid of emotion, flat and monotone. This caused Mario to pause, looking closer at his friend. Link was pale, and shaking slightly. His eyes were dull, and he seemed out of focus. He hadn't even put on his boots of hat, but he seemed prepared to leave.

"Link, sit down. You're not well at the moment. Just wait, and you can go home when you're better." Link merely shook his head, and continued to pack his gear.

"Link, stop!" Mario was louder now, causing the teen to pause for a moment. But it was only a moment, and then he pulled on his boots.

"Mario, I have to. Th-They need me. I feel it." His voice was weak now, but it was full of grief and pain. Mario knew the feeling Link had, the pressure to save everyone, the guilt that came from not succeeding, the depressingly impossible odds.

"Link..." Link pulled on his hat and attempted to leave the room, but was grabbed by Mario. "Link, no. If you go now, you will fail, and then there will be nobody to save them."

Link jerked away suddenly, with enough force to escape Mario's hold. Mario gripped tightly, but was left with nothing. "Link," he yelled, struggling to keep up with the Hylian. Link ran down the stairs, out into the castle grounds. Singing Epona's song, Link was attempting to leave before someone stopped him. Epona ran to Link, her red coat shining in the sunset, her white mane and tail catching the colors of the sky. Link mounted her and Mario gave one last, desperate leap. If Epona galloped away, Link would be lost. Mario sailed high and far, but he was just barely too short. Link kicked Epona's sides, and they urged away, into the night.

Until a flash of white and loud boom in front of the horse scared her, and she turned and galloped back towards the castle with a frightened squeal. Link attempted to turn her again, but found a deep chasm where the road once was, Master Hand floating above. Epona slowed to a canter, trot, walk, and then stopped in front of Mario. Link slid off of her in defeat, shaking more violently, sweating and breathing shallowly. Mario caught Link before he hit the ground and lowered him down. Residents in the castle felt the tremors and heard the boom from the explosion. They came running to see the excitement.

Master Hand was furious. "I told you not to leave the castle, and you disobeyed me. This is for your own good. I let other people leave before when they were needed. Did you think I was doing this for no reason? You're in danger! Now get back inside."

Zelda, who had watched the confrontation, teleported over. "Master Hand, do not interfere with the Goddesses. This will happen and the more you fight, the more tragic this will be for everyone involved. Let him go."

"If you truly cared for him, you wouldn't let him go." At this, Zelda gasped, and tears pooled in her eyes.

"I do care, more than you know. I have seen this happen in my dreams, and I know what will happen if you do not let him leave now. Please, before it's too late!"

"Zelda, leave my presence now." And with a sob, Zelda returned to to crowd on onlookers, being comforted by Peach. Pikachu, Jigglypuff, Pichu, and Duck Hunt were huddled together fearfully, seeing a new, possessive side of Master Hand. Fox, Samus, and Luigi exchanged glances, knowing that something was very wrong. Other Fighters were in groups here and there, discussing the scene before them. Mario was angry and worried. Angry because this would embarrass the quiet Hylian, angry because this made no sense, and worried because of Zelda's outburst. Such a thing had never happened before, and for her to go out and confront the Hand in front of everyone meant that something terrible was going to happen.

Link attempted to stand, but couldn't muster the strength. He shrugged off Mario's arms, attempting to rise again. This time, he managed to stand, though he shook. He opened his mouth to reply, but a bright light shone, and everyone had to look away. The light faded, and standing around Link were three women, each beautiful and deadly. The first was more muscular than the other two, with red hair and eyes, tanned skin, high cheekbones, and a slightly long nose. The second had blue hair and eyes, incredibly light skin, a small frame, and intelligence in her eyes. The third appeared to be weakest of the three, with green hair and eyes, a medium skin tone, and simple, but elegant features, with enlarged canines. The three were wearing white robes with golden shoulders, belts, and earrings. They each had a symbol on a necklace that represented them in their color.

They were the Goddesses, Din, the red one of power, Nayru, the blue one of wisdom, and Farore, the green one of courage. Faroe held her hero, Nayru stroked Epona, and Din helped Mario to his feet. Then, she whispered into the Italian's ear, "I like your style. Red suits you, but you need to step back, or you might get vaporized." She then smiled and gave him a light push. Mario backed away about ten feet, and Din smiled, signaling that he was now safe.

"Master Hand," said Nayru, her voice almost song like, "I see that you have held our hero away from us. Why was it, again, that you couldn't allow his return?"

The Hand shook for a moment, then clasped into a fist, before replying. "He is important, and he was going to be wasted in Hyrule." This was the wrong response, as Din stepped forward.

"That is not for you to decide, Hand." As she dropped the respectful title of master, she smirked a bit. Her voice was tough, like desert sands, rough, but not unpleasant. "Do not forget that we are more powerful than you believe."

At this, Farore spoke up, her voice small, but clear, and without any tremor, "Link is out creation, and stealing him away was wrong. You then attempted to restrict him from returning to his rightful place. You made him ill, and even attempted to destroy the connection between our realms. Do not worry, we won't take him yet. We would like to speak to those who bear our markings and traits first."

The Hand was flustered, but ignored. Faroe healed Link, and the two began conversing about life and those they had to protect. Nauru went to Zelda, dried her tears, and comforted her, for they each knew what was to come. They then spoke about books and literature. Din Rushed at Ganondorf, and the two began to spar, and they spoke about techniques to be used in combat. For awhile, the other smashers were uncomfortable, then they felt peaceful. Things seemed to be fine. The Children and easily fearful Smashers grew bored and returned to the training room, where they wouldn't hear what was to come.

Ganondorf and Din finished their match, and they parted, Din going over to Farore. Nauru and Zelda finished conversing, and though she knew it was necessary, she asked Nayru to be gentle. They parted, and Zelda looked on with watery eyes, while Nayru returned to the other two. This left Link, his horse, the three Goddesses, and Master Hand in the center of the three Goddesses looked to one another and nodded. Then, without warning, Farore flew upwards with wings like a dragonfly's, holding Link above the ground. He yelled, though he settled once the movement stopped. Din spread her own blood colored, dragon-like wings and rushed the Hand, pinning him down underfoot. Try as he might, the hand could not rise off of the ground. Nayru's own silvery gray swan wings rose elegantly behind her as she erected a transparent dome around the fight, preventing escape or aid. Din proceeded to pumped the hand, leaving bruises and snapping a few boned. Nayru forced the blood flow to falter and become erratic, causing pain and cramps. Farore occasionally sent down blades to cut into the hand, and even planted trees into the cuts. The three Goddesses, having made their point, cast the hand out of the field encompassing the, leaving Link and Epona alone with the enraged Goddesses.


	3. Chapter 3

The two other Goddesses rose to meet with Farore, and then they formed a triangle with their arms, dropping Link down onto the ground. He yelled and landed hard, and though no bones broke, he was in severe pain. He rose to his feet, and gazed upwards at the Trio. The Three Goddesses released hands and flew to the edges of the dome. Farore sent a sphere of golden light down to Epona, who disappeared with a nicker.

"Please, don't hurt her." Link was worried, but he knew that the Goddesses were good, and would do what was best. At least, that's what he thought.

"The time has come. You are the Hero we chose. However, what you do not know is that this is not the first time you have been." The three Goddesses were speaking in unison, their voiced melding into perfection. Link wanted to speak, but he found that he could not. The other Smashers looked on in fear and awe, some gazing with open mouths, some crying, some cowering, and a few hiding their emotions, looking on and seeking to learn.

"Link, this was merely your most recent life, but there have been others."

At this time, Mario lunged forward, seeing that their intention weren't kind. Others followed suit, and attempted to free Link before it was too late, but their actions did nothing.

"However, it has always been you. When you were chosen, we knew that you were the one. There is no other hero perfect for our land. That is why you have been unmade constantly, before you pass your prime, before you grow too attached to the world. This ensures that when you are reborn, you can grow. Now the time has come. You will be unmade."

They lifted their arms up, and light began to shine from them, each their respective color. They at once sent the light hurting downwards, towards Link. He started to glow with a golden light, smiling at the warm, tingling sensation. And then came the pain.

It was as though every part of his being was mauled by wild beasts, tearing and burning, but the pain never stopped. He opened his mouth and a ragged scream broke forth, filling the air. His eyesight and hearing faded out, and he was left in darkness, no feeling other than pain, no sound at all, no sight, scent, nothing. Nothing but pain. He didn't know if he stood, but he didn't care. He couldn't even think.

Mario watched in horror as his friend shrieked with pain, convulsing and foaming at the mouth. It was the worst sound he had ever heard, and it seemed to be never ending. Zelda watched with wide eyes mumbling over and over, "I saw it coming, I saw it coming." Even Ganondorf looked slightly uncomfortable.

Master Hand rose up with a fury nobody had seen before. He glowed a bright white, and he summoned his brother. Crazy Hand and Master Hand each attacked the dome with all of their might, pounding against it. The smashers scrambled backwards to escape the fierce attack above, barely managing to escape in time. They hands shot out their energy blasts and eventually managed to crack it.

"No!" shouted Nayru, "If you interrupt now, it will be catastrophic for our plans and the for hero!" But the hands ignored this warning, and with a flash, the dome was destroyed. The golden light dissipated, and the Goddesses looked at one another in horror, before they returned to their realm.

The Smashers rushed forward, most to the hands, who were now severely injured. Only Zelda, Mario, Luigi, Peach, Pikachu, Samus, Kirby, and Fox went to Link, who now lay silent. Zelda wept bitterly, holding Link's motionless form to her body, brushing the hair from his face. Mario, with the help of his brother, Luigi, lifted Link from the ground and carried him to the emergency room. After laying the boy onto an empty bed, Mario set to work.

He began by feeling around for a pulse. Receiving nothing, Mario attached a monitor to him, and it showed no heart beat. As Luigi attempted to shoo the smashers out, Mario powered up the defibrillator, then pumped the electricity into Link's chest. The body arched, but there was still no pulse. Mario charged the machine, and again a jolt was sent into the boy. Pikachu stepped forward at this point and gestured towards a ventilator. Mario nodded, and while he set up the machine to breathe for Link, Pikachu sent electricity into Link's chest, essentially beating his heart for him.

Luigi had by this point managed to empty the room of all but the patient and those who operated on him. Luigi then left and stood outside the door, preventing anyone from entering. When a Smasher would attempt to enter, Luigi gave them a stern glare and told them to leave. This went on for two hours, before everyone left, save Zelda. She sat on a bench in the waiting room, twitching her fingers in nervousness.

* * *

It had been hours, and it was now midnight. The moon was full outside, leaving the grounds outside bathed in the silvery blue glow. The wind had picked up, and leaves could be seen skittering across the ground. There were clouds in the sky, and though most stars were covered, the moon was untouched by the darkness. A storm was coming, and it would break out in rain either this night or the next morning. The young smashers, who didn't know what had occurred, slept soundly, as did those who felt no connection to the swordsman. Some residents of the castle were pacing in their rooms, glancing out the windows to the calm world outside, attempting to sleep. Some wandered the halls, grabbing late snacks, conversing quietly, or training into the night.

Mario and Pikachu had by this point managed to stabilize Link's condition. His heart was steadily beating on its own, and he no longer needed a machine to breathe. He now lay still in his bed, and Mario had changed into his doctor's uniform. Pikachu had gone outside and was now nuzzling Zelda in an attempt to keep her calm. Luigi was sitting next to her, holding her hand, which was trembling. With a sigh, Mario decided that it was now safe to allow Zelda into the room.

He opened the door, and Zelda looked up at him, voice trembling. "How is he, Doctor?"

"Link is in a stable condition, and he seems to be doing well. However, his body and mind have been through serious trauma. He's not likely to wake up anytime soon. When he does, it'll take a long time for him to fully recover." Doctor Mario looked at Zelda as he delivered the news, and he saw the deep pain in her eyes.

Zelda sighed at this, attempting to remain calm. "Can I see him, please?"

With a nod, Mario led the trio into the hospital room. Link lay on the bed, screens monitoring his heartbeat, breathing, and brain activity. His body was broken, with bandages covering his bruised chest, a cast holding his elbow in place, his ankle shattered. Zelda looked on in shock. This was Link, the Hero Chosen by the Goddesses. Why would they do this to him?

Zelda breathed out, and turned to the Mario. "Doctor, may I aid him with my magic, or will that harm him further?"

"Zelda, I honestly don't know. I'm a doctor. I study medicines and the body. Magical and Spiritual maladies are not my strong suit. If you think it would help, be my guest. I know he needs all the help he can get."

Zelda nodded at this, and Doctor Mario, Luigi, and Pikachu stepped back to give her room. Drawing on her energy, Zelda placed her hands on Link's chest, channeling the soothing magic into his torn body. His heartbeat slowed, then quickened rapidly, before settling back into its usual rhythm. His fingers, eyelids, and toes twitched, and hid body curled into a fetal position. He then relaxed, and Zelda finished her spell.

Luigi looked on in awe, and then he noticed something off. Link's left hand, the one that bore the mark of the Triforce. It glowed slightly, but not with the golden glow. It seemed sickly, and barely there. "M-M-Mario, there's something wrong with him." He pointed to the hand.

Mario looked at it with confusion. "Zelda, what does this mean?"

"I... I don't know."

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: This chapter went up a day late. For that, I apologize. If you have any ideas that may improve this story or you just want to tell me how this story makes you feel, I'd appreciate reviews. Finally, because I have seen others do this on their stories-**_

 _ **Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or games mentioned in this. I merely had an idea that I wanted to share. This would not make a good game, but I personally thought it was good enough to share.**_


	4. Chapter 4

It had been several weeks since the incident. The sun was shining down from the sky, though the day was cold and crisp. The autumn had given way to winter, and a thick layer of snow covered the ground. The orchards had been harvested, and most Smashers were celebrating the upcoming holiday season. It seemed that most of the realms had a Winter celebration similar to what those from Earth called Christmas. Music played, presents were wrapped and placed under a great Evergreen Tree, which was decorated in Red and Gold ornaments. Lights decorated the outside of the castle, and the front yard was filled with snow sculptures, from simple snowmen to elegant dragons, and even a giant snow cat. The smashers were in the banquet hall, sharing traditional holiday meals from their respective cultures.

The Pokemon brought Poffins and Pokepuffs, while Ganondorf had provided a roasted boar. Princess Peach baked a huge vanilla cake with strawberry buttercream icing, and Luigi had roasted Mushrooms for a side dish. All of the Smashers had provided something for this meal. Things seemed to be changing for the better.

The hands had been treated and were now fully healed, seated at the head of the table in the dining hall. Link had healed as well, and though he hadn't yet awoken, it was only a matter of time. For his comfort, he had been moved back to his bedroom, where he was watched by close friends. At the moment, Luigi was attempting to pry Zelda away from the room for a few minutes.

"Come on Zelda. At least come down for a moment, get some food, rest a bit." Luigi's voice was serious, not anything like the one he usually used.

"What if he wakes up when I'm not here? What if he needs help?" Zelda was losing at this point.

"Zelda, if you're worried and stressed when he wakes up, it'll upset him." She knew that the green-clad gentleman was right. Sighing, she relented.

"Okay, but only for a moment."

"Okey-dokey. Let's a Go!" Luigi allowed a bubbly voice to break out, in order to calm her down. In reality, he was thinking seriously about what was happening around him. He pulled the reluctant princess out of the room, shutting the door behind them. Then the pair went down to the banquet hall, where people laughed and played. A slow song started, and Luigi, hoping to distract the princess from her troubles, extended a hand to her. "Care for a dance, my lady?"

Zelda, being as noble as she had been raised, knew that it was rude to decline such an offer. Plastering on a fake smile, Zelda looked at the slightly shorter man. "I'd be delighted to." She grabbed his left hand with her right, and placed her left on his shoulder. He placed his right hand high on her waist, careful not to overstep his boundaries. The two swayed and spun to the song, and slowly, Zelda's smile became real. When the song ended, Luigi spun the princess once, and let a small laugh out. After that, the song became more upbeat, and Luigi recognized the song. Before she could leave, he pulled her close, and then proceeded to chicken dance. The princess giggled slightly at his antics, and then, noticing Yoshi and Kirby doing the same, she proceeded to copy the dance, and the two danced until the song ended. The next song was one neither party were familiar with, some difficult line dance. The two exited the dance floor.

Zelda and Luigi went over to the table, where they filled their plates with food. However, before they could sit down, Mario came towards the pair. "How is Link doing?" This question immediately put Zelda out of her good mood.

"He's doing well. He hasn't awoken, but he shall soon. I can tell. I'm going back to his room. Care to join me?" Her question was formal once more, guarded.

"Alright. Thank you, Zelda." Mario was genuinely happy to be checking on his friend, though he saw the pain in her eyes. She headed back up to the room, with Mario attempting to follow. Luigi, however, gripped his arm, calling out to Zelda.

"We'll be there in a few minutes. I need Mario's help with something first." Zelda gave no sign of having heard them. She left the room, carrying the food with her. Luigi pulled Mario to an empty training room, a ways away so that they wouldn't be overheard. "Mario, what was that?"

"Luigi, I don't know what you're talking about."

"I finally manage to get her out of her misery for a few minutes, and you jut had to go and ruin it."

"Okay, so I'm the bad guy for worrying about my friend?"

"Mario, Zelda is in pain. You ought to be ashamed about your actions. Don't forget, Zelda knew him before we did."

"Stop, okay. I get it. I can apologize, but I'm going to go see him."

"Mario, why can't you accept that you're wrong?"

"I know I messed up. I saw it in her eyes, but she left before I could apologize."

"Alright, Mario" Luigi's fake childishness returned, masking his true stern personality. "I'm sure she'll recover."

"Then Let's-a-go!" Mario turned away, not seeing the wisdom in his brother's gaze.

"Okey-dokey!"

* * *

The brothers went to Link's room, and there they saw something strange. The plate of food lay forgotten on a desk, for Link's triforce marking glowed brighter than ever before. Zelda sat holding his right hand, his left resting on his chest. His eyes flicked back and forth under his eyelids, and he was breathing quicker. Mario rushed forward to take his pulse, but before he got there, Link sat upright, opened his eyes, and yelled. Then, he stopped, and seemed to notice his surroundings. His hand stopped its glow.

Zelda spoke first. "L-Link? How do you feel?"

Link moved his mouth and drew his eyebrows together. He tried to speak, but no sound came forth. Then, with a thire attempt, he managed to speak, though his voice was rough and scratchy. "I feel... bad. Can... Can I have a drink? Please?"

Mario grabbed a glass and went to the bathroom. He returned moments later with water. He handed it to Link, who gulped it down greedily. He then spoke again, this time with a stronger voice. "I can remember. All of my past lives. It's like I've lived them all, but at the same time, they're trying to overwrite each other in my mind." His eyes watered, and he blinked the tears away. "I remember my journeys... I remember Saria, and Ilia, and... and you Zelda. Over and over again, you're there. And you don't remember, but I do, and overtime, I save you, and the world, and I think things are about to be peaceful, and..." He choked up here, and tried his face in the blankets. Mario rubbed his back and Luigi just sat there, watching.

Zelda spoke to her hero then. "Link, maybe there's a reason you can remember. Maybe you can do better this time and-"

"NO!" Link looked at her, shocked that he had shouted. "I... I didn't mean to. I just... every time I get to the end, and I'm about to live out my life, they come, and they destroy me, only to make me again in difficult situations because they can't be bothered to fix things themselves. And then, when I should get to have peace as a reward, they destroy me. It's like I'm cursed."

"Link..." But there was nothing she could say. Nothing anyone could say, for nobody could help. Like was going through something that no one else could comprehend, and they didn't know how to help their friend cope.

Luigi, however, had an idea. "Maybe if you see your friends from this life, it'll help keep the other memories at bay." The others agreed, and they made their way slowly down to the celebration. Link was weak after so long laying down. His legs had trouble supporting him, but he wouldn't allow the others to help him. Finally, frustrated by the delays and Link's stubbornness, Mario scooped up the 18-year-old, and, ignoring his protests, carried him into the banquet hall.

"Hey everyone," shouted Fox. "Link's back!" Many smashers rushed over to him, congratulating him on his recovery, expressing their condolences to his pain, offering to help him train up to his previous peak condition. However, the only person Link saw was his enemy from times past.

"Ganondorf," Link snarled, "after all of your defeat, you dare to invade here?"

Ganondorf, of course, laughed. "Ah, how nice to be remembered, boy. However, I didn't 'invade,' I was invited. I belong here as much as you."

Link drew his sword and rushed at the sorcerer, who blocked with magic. "Link, stop! You will cause grave things if you do not cease now and put aside your rage."

Link did not stop. The anger of multiple lives all joined together and pushed his consciousness back leaving noting but an angry beast, determined to destroy the man before him. Link leapt, aiming for his throat. Ganondorf jerked to the side at the last moment, and tripped Link, who sprawled to the floor. Before he could rise up, Ganondorf stepped onto his back, holding him down.

"Stop struggling, or it'll get worse."

Link, however, couldn't understand language at the moment. He just felt the need to kill the enemy before it was too late. At that time, the grandfather clock at the front of the room struck 8, and Link stiffened, before he screamed. Mario leapt forward, pushing Ganondorf off, while Zelda tried to hold Link. Link, however, was against this, and lashed out, striking her cheek. She gasped, as Link had never before hit anyone out of anger. She backed away slowly, not knowing what to do.

Link silenced, before his body arched, glowing with golden light. His form seemed to waver, and then a blinding flash filled the room, causing everyone to shut their eyes. When the light disappeared, Link as they knew him was gone. In his place was a 10-year-old boy with a gilded sword.


	5. Chapter 5

"L-Link?" Mario asked, shocked, and Ganondorf shrugged him off, backing away into the crowd, before retreating to his room.

The child glanced around, confused.

"Link, do you recognize me?" Master Hand moved towards him, but Link gasped, flipping backwards in his haste to escape. He drew his sword and Mirror Shield, standing in a fighting stance, feet moving constantly.

"St-Stay away!"

"Link..." Zelda looked at the child before her in horror, and though she didn't move closer, she wanted to hold and comfort the child. Luigi slowly stepped into the shadows and began traveling around the hall, positioning himself in Link's blind spot.

Link, who was now a young boy, seemed terrified. He looked around the room in horror, gazing at those around him. When he saw Zelda, a dull glow shot out of him, latching onto the Princess. She was surrounded in this light, and when it disappeared a few seconds later, she was a blonde child in a pink and white dress. She cried out, scaring Link even further.

He reached for his sword, but was intercepted by Luigi, who had snuck up quietly behind him

"Now now, Link. This isn't the time for violence." His voice was stern once more, though gentle. He held Link's arm, stopping him from reacting with violence. Link, who had never had a stable adult figure in this life, tried desperately to escape, tugging and straining with all of his might. He started to tremble, fearful of what these strange creatures were going to do to him, and what the people wanted, though he mostly feared for his princess.

Link slumped down, seemingly in defeat, for he knew that he wasn't strong enough to escape from all of these fighters. There were just too many. He blinked away angry tears and growled in anger and confusion. It was at this point that Master Hand spoke again.

"... Luigi, Mario, if you could take... Link to his room, I think it would be helpful." Mario stepped forward and gripped Link's legs, while Luigi held his arms. Link, of course, was still horrified, and began to struggle once more. However, the two grown adults were more than capable of handling a ten year old.

* * *

Back in Link's room, Mario and Luigi released the young boy, with Luigi blocking the window and Mario the door. Link backed up and bumped into the bed, back pressing into the footboard. He turned, surprised at seeing a bed. He voiced his thoughts, and Mario laughed.

"What, did you think we were going to lock you up?" Mario grinned for a moment more before he saw the look on Link's face. "You did. Link, you need to understand something. We aren't going to hurt you. You don't remember, but I'm your friend."

Link just looked at him blankly, though something did seem familiar about the red hat and mustache, though he couldn't place it. It seemed as though he had seen it before, and it felt both safe and frightening.

While the two were interacting, Luigi had opened the window and walked onto the balcony. There were no vines that Link could climb on here, and the other balconies were too far away to jump to. They were made of stone, something that Link's hookshot couldn't attach to, so there was no way out besides the door. Satisfied, Luigi returned to the room, then went over to Mario.

"Mario, I'm going to go see if I can help downstairs. Besides, Link would probably be more comfortable with only one stranger in the room." Mario flinched at the word stranger, but he knew that his brother was right. He watched Luigi exit the room, then sighed.

Turning to the boy in front of him, Mario continued to speak. "We've known each other for years." Link listened a bit closer at this. The man before him did seem incredibly familiar. Mario continued. "When you first arrived at the Smash castle, I wasn't so sure about you. I mean, you looked nice enough, but-"

It was at this moment when Link stopped listening. Walking past Mario, he went out to the balcony, intending to escape, when he glanced up at the night sky. The moon was full, and Link froze, staring at it in fear. His eyes were focused solely on the moon, and they were wide. His hands clenched, and his knees wobbled, having trouble supporting him. He was hyperventilating, and Mario, not wanting to startle him, slowly reached forward, touching his shoulder. Link didn't register the touch, and he shook slightly, causing Mario to worry even more.

Mario picked up the child and carried him over to the bed, tucking him under the covers. He remembered that he had done this not to long ago and chuckled a bit at the cruelty of life. He rubbed Link's head, trying to lull him to sleep. Though Link didn't sleep, he stopped shaking. Finally, after a few hours, Link's body couldn't handle the stresses of the day and rested, giving Mario a break.

Though he didn't want to leave his friend, Mario was tired, and he knew that he wouldn't do any good asleep. He quietly left the room, intending to have someone else watch the boy for a few minutes while he slept.

* * *

Mario went to the meeting hall, where many smashers were currently discussing Link's situation, as well as Zelda's. It seemed that she had kept her memories from before, and though she looked like the princess Link knew, she simply wasn't. She was a grown adult, now in a child's body, much to her displeasure. Even though she was still the same as before, people were treating her like a child.

"Peach, for the last time, I'm still me, and I don't need you to take care of me."

"Aww, but Zelda, I've always wanted a little sister, and when will I have another chance to- Oh, hi Mario." At the sight of her hero, she forgot her argument and beckoned him over. At his arrival, she demanded an update. "How's little Link doing?"

Flinching a bit at the reminder of his condition, Mario replied, "He's gone into shock, but he's been through a lot, so his body has forced him to sleep. I actually need someone to watch him for a bit while I rest as well."

"Mario, Zelda and I would be happy to! It'll be peachy!" Peach giggled a bit at her own joke, trying to lighten the mood, though she failed. Mario just nodded and went to his room to rest, while the two princesses went to watch over the child.

* * *

As Link slept on, Zelda and Peach played chess and conversed quietly, watching him to see how he was doing.

His chest rose and fell, and Zelda, wise as always, crossed over and removed his weapons, looking at each one with interest. The hook shot was different than she knew it to be, his bow was huge compared to him, and though powerful, it was easier to use than an adult's. The sword was silver and gold, gilded with an intricate pattern, while his reflective shield was unnerving, with a screaming face on its surface. Shifting through his bag more, she came across a blue Ocarina. It gave off an aura of power, so Zelda kept it on her person. Finally, she came to a bag full of masks. They seemed harmless, so she allowed him to keep them.

Peach helped with this process, and anything deemed unsafe was hidden away so that he couldn't find it. After this, Zelda performed a simple spell to ease his mind, and Link's body relaxed slightly, his breathing deepening. There was nothing left to do, so the duo returned to their game, glancing over occasionally to see if there had been any change in their friend.


	6. Chapter 6

Time passed, and the sun rose, casting the clouds in brilliant oranges and pinks. Link groaned, causing the girls to look at him with concern. They watched as he awoke, rubbing his head before jerking to a sitting position, gazing at them silently.

"Link? Are you okay?" Zelda's voice was full of concern, just as he remembered her to be. He slowly climbed out of the bed before rushing to hug her.

"I thought I'd lost you." His voice sounded hoarse, as though it hadn't been used in ages.

Zelda shushed him, and when he seemed calm, she tried to explain the situation to him. Link didn't quite understand everything, but he got the basic idea. However, he still thought that this was the Zelda he knew, and no amount of explaining would make him grasp the concept that she merely looked like her.

"So I can't remember anyone, but they all remember me?"

"That's right. Link, everyone here is your friend. Nobody wishes you harm. We're doing our best to remedy the situation, but you have to work with us."

Link thought for a moment, realizing that this was similar to the experience he'd had in Termina. The only difference was that now he was the one without the memories. He then began to explore his room, searching for anything familiar. Zelda and Peach watched on silently. Peach then leaned over and whispered to the now smaller princess, "I need to update Master Hand. Please, keep him occupied for a few minutes." She then smiled at Link and left the room, firmly shutting the door behind her.

Link, hearing the door shut, glanced over. He was now alone with Zelda, and he had something he wanted to play for her. Walking over to her, he reached into his bag, and was shocked to find it nearly empty. All that remained from his adventures were empty bottles, the Bomber's Notebook, a few green Rupies, and his masks. He panicked slightly, though he tried to remain calm for his princess. Where was the Ocarina of Time?

"Ummm... Zelda, most of my items disappeared."

"Don't worry, they're somewhere safe."

"Do you know where?"

At this, Zelda knew that she had to make a decision. Honesty could turn Link against her, but if he found out that she lied, he wouldn't trust anything she said.

"Yes."

"Can I have them back?"

Zelda closed her eyes, but she knew that she had to be strong. "No, Link, you cannot. Not until we are sure you won't hurt anyone."

"Please? I promise that I won't use them on anyone." Link gazed at her, his blue eyes filled with pain and betrayal.

Zelda's heart was breaking, but she knew that the safety of everyone was more important than Link right now. "I'm sorry Link."

His head fell, and he frowned, staring at his shoes. He didn't understand why she no longer trusted him. What had he done that he couldn't remember? Zelda saw his pain and relented a bit. She handed him the Ocarina of Time with a smile, hoping to repair his feelings. It seemed to work, as he grinned a bit, then put it to his lips. He played a soft song, and the notes soared, filling the room with a sense of calm. He then gazed at her expectantly, as though she should recognize the tune.

Zelda, of course, didn't know how to react. Before she could even say anything, however, Link, slapped his forehead. "Ugh, I forgot! You didn't teach Zelda's Lullaby to me in this timeline. I'm sorry."

Zelda, still unsure of how to react, gave him a small hug, before asking him to play checkers. He accepted, and the two fell to silence, playing the game while trying to lessen the awkward mood.

* * *

When Peach arrived at his office, Master Hand noticed her immediately and asked, "What has happened?"

"He's awake, and he seems to understand what's going on, but he think's Zelda is the one from his time."

"Well, at least he isn't attacking anyone."

"Awww, Master Hand, don't be such a downer. I'm sure he didn't really mean it. He's just a scared child surrounded by monsters that he hasn't seen before."

"But he has seen us. Many times"

Peach looked at the hand. He didn't show it visually, but Peach could tell that he was upset. "I'm sure that he'll regain his memories, but these things take time. It was a lot of magic used on him, and it didn't go as planned."

The Hand sighed, then spoke up, though softer than before, "Peach, thank you. Go tell Mario that Link's better, then tell Ganondorf to remain in the western wing of the castle. Link will have no reason to traverse those halls, so he won't panic."

Peach nodded, then proceeded to skip off, ready to complete her important mission. Master Hand prepared to fix this issue. He began to write a letter, though he often erased and rewrote sections. This would possibly solve all of the problems, but it had to be perfect, else it could cause more harm than good.

 _Dearest Nayru, Farore, and Din, Goddesses of the Hylian Dimensions and Timelines,_

 _Unexpected circumstances have unfortunately corrupted the mind and body of the one christened as your hero. It would seem that the strain placed on his soul from the reincarnation process has made him unstable. Upon sight of his enemy, he was sent into a rage unlike any seen before. His attacks were not nearly as strong as they could have been, nor were they precise. He had no emotion whatsoever, only the primal desire to kill. Then, when the clock chimed, he reverted to one of his previous incarnations, with the body and memories of that life alone. He does not remember this one, or any others. Upon sight of the Princess of Hyrule, Zelda, she_ _became a child as well, though she has retained the memories of this life. Ganondorf removed himself from the situation, so he is as you remember him._

 _We are working to save his mind from insanity, hoping to return him to this life. This task will not be easy, so we are requesting your assistance. Here at the Smash Castle, we understand that we must take responsibility for our actions, so we of course, accept that we played a role in this issue. However, our knowledge on these matters is limited, as most don't completely destroy those they care about._

 _Were you to aid our efforts, we would be sure to reimburse you for your time and effort spent in the healing of our swordsman. However, should your guidance not be provided, we would find a way as well. Do what you know will be best._

 _Awaiting your decision,_

 _Master Hand, Ruling Being over this Dimension._

The hand looked at this letter, deeming it to be flawless. After all, they had to know that this was purely their fault. He was being generous in taking any responsibility whatsoever. Then, he realized something. This was a new issue, and he could handle it. If a month or so went by without any progress, then he would send the letter. As it was, there was no reason to worry. He was a skilled magic wielder himself, and if he truly needed it, he could gain the assistance of his other half, Crazy Hand.

No, he couldn't appear weak, especially to the esteemed rulers of another dimension. He needed them to be business partners, for how else would he become aware of other powerful fighters for the battles? The hand chuckled as he his the letter away, knowing that he had it on file. He then decided to do the research that he never had the time for. He began to read up on the Adventures of Link, learning as much as he could.

And there was so much to learn. Link had done so much, and would do so much. The hand grumbled at the fact that the legends were not in chronological order. Apparently, the first adventure to be shared with other dimensions wasn't in the right place. In fact, it was to be Link's last quest. Meanwhile, the other quests were a jumbled mess, with the stories in the different timelines all being released in no particular order, with the Goddesses finally releasing a timeline years late.

The hand sat and grumbled about the disorganization of it all, choosing to ignore his own flaws. By not doing this research prior, it would be weeks before he stumbled upon the legends Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask, and it would be longer before he made the connection to the current Link. By the time he did, it would be far too late.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I must apologize for uploading this chapter a whole week late. My excuse is a case of Writer's block. I know where this story is going. I know which games will be included in the story, which will be referenced, and which will be ignored. I just don't know how to get there.**

 **Also, I am going to be without a computer for the whole summer, so I'm going to have to try to finish this before then, or at least get to a good stopping place.**

 **Thank you to everyone that has reviewed, because it's nice to get feedback. Thank you to those who have chosen to follow of favorite, because it means that you really like this story. I appreciate everyone who has glanced at this story, even if you stopped reading partway, because you looked.**

 **Alright, that's nearly it. If you have anyone you would really like to see or any scenario's that would make a good story arc, please let me know. If you have anything you would like to mention to me, don't be afraid. I won't bite, because I'm likely nowhere near you in the world, and even if I'm sitting right next to you, we'll never know.**


	7. Chapter 7

Peach sang softly as the skipped down the hall to the lounge, where she knew Bowser and Ganondorf liked to hang out. As she travelled the halls, she marveled at the simple beauty of it. Before moving in, she hadn't known that plain decorations could be beautiful. These walls were white marble with golden colored trim and small, dark, wooden tables with seasonal flowers. Her own castle had clouds, rainbows, or whatever had happened to capture her interest that day on the walls. That's why some walls had aquariums, some had pink paint, some walls were plain wood, while large paintings covered the halls. Mario had mentioned something about other worlds and power stars once, but she had long forgotten what that was about.

She stopped in the hall, glancing at the nearby table, displaying jasmine, daphnes, and helebore. Forgotten... has she had done that. She had an important mission to attend to... Then she remembered. "Oh, dear, I remember now!" She skipped off agin, this time completing her quest. She knocked on the door to the lounge, where Bowser and Ganondorf were holding a conversation. Peach gulped, then steeled herself.

"Ganondorf, Master Hand sent me with a message."

The two looked up, stopping their conversation. Everything was silent, before he spoke up. "Oh? And what might that be, fair maiden?" Ganondorf's voice was kind, formal. It put Peach at ease.

"Link has awoken, and we're going to try to fix him. So that he doesn't panic again, Master Hand has requested that you remain in the western wing."

"That will be no trouble at all, my dear." Indeed, Ganondorf's bedroom, preferred training and dining rooms, and even this lounge were located in the West, while Link was in the East. They would not likely cross paths.

Peach turned to go, but Bowser had other plans. Reaching over, he grasped her hand firmly in his own, pulling the dainty lady over to him. "Come on, Peachy, how about a goodbye kiss?"

Peach had by this point been fighting for awhile, so she wrenched herself free, giving him a fierce slap across the face. "I do not feel inclined to do so. Good day." Bowser, not knowing how to take rejection, reached out and achieved a firmer grip on the girl, pulling her onto his lap.

"Come on, Babe, you know you cannot resist this." He wrapped her up in his arms, preventing her escape. He then licked her face, then started to nibble her ear. She bit down on his arm as hard as she was able to, though it did little damage to his scales. Ganondorf stepped in at this point, using his strength to free the princess.

Peach leapt away, speaking hurriedly, "It was nice talking to you, Ganondorf, but I've got to go." She then ran out of the room so that he wouldn't see how afraid she was. Bowser growled at Ganondorf.

Ganondorf glanced at Bowser smugly. "You know, you could be a bit more polite. You scared her with your... display."

"What would you know about it? I don't see you with your princess," grumbled Bowser

"Well, I'm not really interested in Zelda romantically. She just usually has the Triforce of Wisdom."

"Oh."

"I also grew up as the only man in my entire tribe, so I know how to treat a lady."

"Okay."

"What ever happened to your magic? Didn't you used to keep her because she could break your spells?"

"...Shut up." Bowser sat gloomily for a minute before lumbering off after the princess.

* * *

Peach hurried through the halls, trying to find Mario. "I'm not gonna cry, I'm not gonna cry," she whispered to herself, but even then, the tears pooled in her eyes. She caught sight of her hero, who was just leaving his room after a night's rest. "Mario!" she wailed, throwing herself into his arms.

"Peach, shhh, shhh, it's okay." Slowly, her sobs stopped, and she ceased her crying. She then told Mario about Bowser, and she nearly cried again.

Mario was no longer smiling. His voice was low as he spoke, "He's gone too far this time."

Just then, Bowser lumbered in without realizing that things were going to be very bad. "Oh, there you are, Princess." He reached to grab her hand, but Mario was too angry to allow it. He pushed Peach behind him.

"Get out, and get a stage set. I'm going to kill him otherwise." Peach, at those words, ran across the room, pressing a button on the wall. Mario and Bowser were encased in a silver glow as they were transported to the Boxing Ring.

* * *

The announcer started the countdown as Mario prepared himself. His eyes were cold and filled with hatred, and the flames were already coating his hands. Bowser, of course, was expecting a simple spar, so he wasn't worried.

"3... 2... 1... GO!"

Mario leapt up instantly, avoiding the predictable Fire Breath attach from Bowser. While in the air, Mario released his own flames, scorching the Koopa King. Mario landed behind Bowser and began to attack, punching and kicking as hard as he could. He finished his combo and jumped up once more in an attempt to avoid the next attack.

Bowser did not take his beating kindly. He turned and punched Mario out of the air. He then caught the man in a vortex of flames that erupted from his mouth. Bowser then grabbed Mario and flipped into the air, slamming down on top of the now weakened man. However, he underestimated his adversary and backed away, wanting to watch Mario's agony.

Mario did rise to his feet, swaying as he struggled to get his bearings. He then remembered Peach's fear and snarled, angrier than most had ever seen him. He practically flew into Bowser, hands coated in flames as he unleashed his rage onto the Koopa. He punched and kicked for a few seconds, then drew Bowser in with a grounded Super Jump Punch attack. Bowser flew away slamming into the ground, winded. He struggled to his feet, but was instantly grabbed by the irate Italian.

"Don't talk to her again. Don't look at her again. Don't approach, or even think about her again." Mario then threw Bowser onto the ground, but he still wasn't ready to quit. He slammed his tail into Mario, sending him flying across the ring and into the rope barrier. This was a mistake, as the pain, rage, and love for the princess all combined. Mario's eyes turned a bright yellow, and he was engulfed in rainbow flames that drew the light from the room. Bowser saw this and tried to flee, but Mario was too fast. He released this power, and it manifested as bright flames that filled the room, sending Bowser flying out of bounds, where he exploded.

"GAME!"

* * *

Mario and Bowser were returned to the room, Mario panting, Bowser bruised. Mario started stalking towards the Koopa, who fled for his own room.

"Mario." Peach's soft voice drew his attention, and he rushed to her side, pulling her in for a hug. He shook slightly, an effect of using one's Final Smash without the assistance of the Smash Ball. She led him to his room, where he promptly went to sleep. Using a Smash Ball to receive the power necessary for a Final Smash left a slight tingling in one's hands. Drawing on one's inner strength through powerful emotions, however, left one fully drained. It was nothing a good night's rest couldn't handle, but it made it nearly impossible to function until this sleep was granted.

Peach smiled softly as Mario's light snores filled the room. It was then that she remembered her mission. She wrote out a note explaining Link's condition as well as apologizing for seeing Ganondorf first, as that would have likely avoided this whole fiasco. She signed the letter and gave it a kiss, leaving lipstick on the corner. However, there was nothing more she could to here, and she wanted to check up on Link. Peach left, shutting the locked door behind her.

Nobody noticed that hidden in the corner of the hall was a young blonde with blue eyes, dressed in green, who had seen the entire altercation.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Mildly edited for grammatical errors, as well as the wording of some sentences.**


	8. Chapter 8

Link had grown tired of waiting around. As much as he enjoyed the princess's company, he was still anxious about this strange place. Even though Zelda assured him that everyone here was a friend, and that the two men whoa carried him to his prison... his bedroom were looking out for his best interests, he couldn't shake his nerves.

It had been thirty-three minutes, which seemed like an eternity in the tense room. Link felt as though he would burst if he remained in this room for much longer.

"Zelda, can we go... um, never mind." Even though he knew Zelda, the two had never spent much time together, and he knew that she would have known him for even less time. They weren't necessarily friends, so it was too early to be asking for favors.

"Link, you know that we cannot leave this room yet."

Link nodded slowly, looking down at the game before them. He moved his piece and took one of hers. This, however, was her trap. Zelda then moved one of hers and was able to take all three of Link's remaining pieces, winning for the third time. Though she was trying go easy on the child, her highly matured mind simply couldn't lose to him.

At this point, Link was far too tense to remain seated. He stood up and began to explore the room once more, looking at everything within. To Zelda's chagrin, Link easily found the Items that had been hidden. She panicked slightly, leaping over to stop him from receiving his weapons.

"Link, no! You cannot-"

"Hyah!" Link flipped backwards away from the princess who now stood between him and his gear. His mind roared and whirled as he tried to understand the situation. Zelda was attempting to keep him locked in this room. She was stopping him from getting his gear, something that has never bothered her before. She was with that stranger, and she had allowed him to be carried off by those men. She must be either under a spell, or his enemy. That meant that anything she had told him was a lie, so she couldn't be trusted.

Realizing this, Link lunged around her and held her from behind. He then threw her onto the bed, where she tangled in the blankets. He quickly grabbed up his bags, stuffing his Items within. Zelda managed to free herself and began to run towards him, but he Drew his Gilded Sword and Mirror Shield, which kept her at a distance. Link began to edge towards the door, keeping his weapons drawn.

"Zelda, why?" His voice tumbled, and his eyes watered flicking between Zelda and away. He couldn't bare to look straight at the one who betrayed him. "Why did you do this."

"Link, I don't understand what you mean." Her voice was filled with concern, just as he wanted her to be. How hadn't he realized that this was so fake?

"No! Just..." Zelda stepped forward, and he cried out in fear and anguish. He threw the door open, leapt out of it, and slammed it shut. Grabbing a nearby chair, he levered it under the doorknob, trapping her inside.

"Zelda, whatever I did, I'm sorry. Please don't hate me!" The crying child then ran down the hall blindly, desperate to escape his guilt.

"Link. Link! Link, please don't do this. Please!" Zelda pounded on the door, but to no avail. Link was gone, and there was no way to get him back. Finally, her unshed tears fell, and she crumpled. Her back leaned against the wall next to the door, knees pulled up to her chest. She sobbed then, eyes on her knees, as she waited for someone to find her.

* * *

Link ran through the halls quietly, ducking into the shadows whenever someone passed. He then remembered his masks. Donning the Stone Mask, he disappeared from prying eyes, though he still had to remain quiet.

Suddenly, from the other side of the hall, Zelda's Pink clothed companion came running, tears in her eyes. Link hid in the corner under a table, staring at her with wide eyes, terrified that she would find him. However, at that time, one of the men who had carried him to his prison, exited a room.

"Mario!" wailed the woman, throwing herself into his arms, sobbing and trembling.

Link sat silently and listened to her tale, and though he didn't understand everything she said, he knew that this Bowser was in the wrong. I mean, sure, a hug could be nice, but not if you didn't want it, and not when it turned into a death grip.

It was then that a large beast lumbered over. He was covered in spikes and scales, with claws and rows of teeth, all razor sharp. Link rose from his hiding place and drew his sword, ready to defend the people. Even though they were holding him captive, they were still better than that beast. After all, people could change, as the Gerudo had. Link was dismayed when he noticed that the duo had no weapons. How could they hope to stand up to that monster?

Mario then stepped forward, and Peach, as he now knew her name to be, ran and pressed a button. Instantly, they were all transported to a strange room. Lights shone above, and there was a raised platform surrounded by... ropes?

As Link watched, Mario destroyed Bowser, unleashing powers not known before. Link was awestruck and intimidated. If forcibly hugging a girl warranted this much punishment, what would happen to him for escaping?

* * *

Link waited, trembling, while Peach was tending to Mario. That man, no, that _thing_! It was too powerful to be a regular human. There was something... off, about the large-nosed stranger. Peach left the room and went down the hall, and Link, not knowing where else to go, followed her at a distance.

The Princess was lost in her own thoughts, so much so that she likely wouldn't have noticed Link even without his mask. She unknowingly led Link down the stairs, through the main halls, and into the grand entryway. Link gasped at the sight of it. It was a massive room, extravagantly decorated. There were three crystal chandeliers hanging from the beautifully painted ceiling, which depicted birds in flight. The walls were similar to those in the rest of the castle, but at this point the gold trim extended into long tendrils that ended halfway up the three-story high walls. These tendrils were like vines, and as they swirled along the walls, they blossomed into roses that shone in the light. There were two large murals, each on opposite walls, taking up the remaining space between the gold and the ceiling.

The first depicted a bright afternoon sky, with a few puffy white clouds, a small bit of gray clouds mixed in, and a golden and ruby colored, shimmering sun. In every way that this window was bright, the other was dark. This second window was deep blue, nearly black. Little stars seemed to twinkle in it's murky depths, and where the sun was on the first, this one showed a full moon. This moon was silver and pearl, and it seemed to shine it's gentle blue light down on the room below.

Link was so entranced by this that he almost didn't notice the odd Keaton walking towards him on its hind legs. Link ducked out of the way as the brown, single tailed Keaton walked by, before stopping, sniffing curiously. He started to walk towards Link before a Strange bird spoke up.

"Fox, are you coming outside?"

"Yeah, Falco. I'm on the way."

The Keaton, named Fox turned to follow Falco, and Link shrunk back, relieved. That was too close! He had almost been discovered. this troubled the young hero. The Stone Mask was supposed to make someone unnoticeable. Link then remembered that the mask didn't fool everyone, and he supposed that someone with a good sense of smell could probably find him, as Fox had nearly done. This was why Link didn't immediately follow the animal duo.

At least, that's what he told himself. The part that he didn't want to admit was the fact that he was afraid. Very afraid. Even after saving Hyrule, and then Termina, he was afraid of this strange place and the strange creatures within.

Finally working up the courage to make, Link made his way to the large Purpleheart Wood doors, hugging the wall. As he approached, he marveled at the engravings. It was a forest, filled with tall trees, both evergreen and deciduous. Peeking out in some places were hares, a small herd of deer, a pack of wolves, a single unicorn, and a few foxes. Nestled in a few of the branches were birds of many different varieties and a few chittering squirrels. It was all shown in the signature purplish hue that the wood is names for. Everything was incredibly detailed, and Link took a moment to marvel at such extravagance, before he stepped out of the main walkway.

Link's plan was simple- he would wait for someone to exit the hall and slip out with them. This would ensure that nobody noticed the door opening and closing on its own. If he left while someone was entering, they would be far more likely to bump into each other. While the Stone Mask would ensure that nobody noticed him, they would still feel themselves bump into an invisible object, causing panic and unwanted stress, along with a high chance of being caught.

Eventually, a small rodent-like Keaton pushed the doors open, and Link leapt over the short creature to avoid detection. However, the creature's sensitive nose scented the child, and it swiftly rose with a small voice, "Pika?" Link, of course, attempted to run away, but the creature caught him easily, tracking him by scent. "Pika, Pikachu!"

As the door shut behind them, Link's mask was knocked off, and Pikachu nuzzled his friend, which both frightened and confused Link. Tucking away the now useless mask, Link stared at the yellow creature in fear, before donning the bunny hood. He then pushed Pikachu off of him and ran towards a large building surrounded by fences.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: I know that this chapter seemed pointless, as did the last. However, before this note, there were over 1700 words in this chapter, and continuing would have made this chapter incredibly long. To combat this, I will upload the next chapter within 24 hours of this one, ensuring that the disappointment doesn't last too long. I'm sorry for the inconvenience, but This is the way I**_ ** _felt would best tell the tale I wish to without cutting anything out._**


	9. Chapter 9

_**Highly Important that you read this!**_

 _ **This chapter was uploaded within an hour of the last one. If you haven't read the previous chapter, I'd suggest doing that at this time. Thank you.**_

* * *

As Link ran towards the fence, shouts arose from those who spotted him, and while most ignored the little boy, Fox and Falco chased him, causing Link to panic further. Link reached the building, which turned out to be stables. Darting inside, he looked frantically, before he found Epona. She was now a young filly, too small for an adult, but a good size for Link to ride. Link moved over to his friend, who nuzzled him gently, earning a giggle from Link. It was then that Fox and Falco caught up to Link, and they stepped up behind him, unintentionally blocking the door with their bodies.

"Hey, Link. Where you headed to?" Fox asked, smiling down at him.

"Please no! Don't hurt me. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to escape, I just-"

"Wait a minute there. Just calm down, kiddo." Fox crouched down a bit so that the two were at eye level, and he grimaced when he saw the tears rolling down Link's face. The boy was pale, and he was sweating, eyes flicking around for a chance of escape. Suddenly getting an idea, Link reached into his bag and put on the Keaton Mask.

Fox blinked, staring at the mask. Just like with the Keatons, Fox was not fooled by this mask that looked like a cross between himself and Pikachu. "Link, I can still tell that it's you. However, it was a clever trick, so I think I'll reward you." At this, both Falco and Link looked at him confusedly, though you couldn't tell with Link.

"I'll gather some of the other people who live here, and we can all have a race! Then maybe we'll have a party afterward, with cake. How's about it?"

"A- a race sounds like fun, but... What's cake?"

At this, Falco was saddened. The poor little scrap, not even knowing what cake was. However, he his his sadness under a cocky smile. "If you agree to the race, you'll find out."

"Can I ride Epona?"

"Of course you can! I doubt everyone is going to run." Fox and Falco shared a look, communicating silently. Falco set off to gather some of the other fighters, while Fox remained behind to watch Link.

* * *

Fox had spent the hour talking to Link, who hadn't taken off the mask. Link's replies to Fox's questions had been short and simple, when he had replied at all. This slightly annoyed Fox, but he understood that Link was just afraid and in need of reassurance. As such, Fox had helped Link prepare Epona, brushing her body, mane, and tail. They then saddled her up, but they used no bridle, to Fox's confusion. However, when he asked about it, he got no response.

Sighing, Fox returned to his post near the door, watching Link with his horse. Now that she was saddled up, she wanted nothing more than to run around. Link pulled himself into the saddle, and Fox got in the way. "Oh, no. You can't do take her out yet. Because," He noticed Link grip his bow and realized that he was scaring the boy again. Quickly, he changed his tactics, attempting to apply simple logic that the boy would understand. "Because it would ruin the surprise. The others don't know who you are or how you'll race."

Link sighed and dismounted, giving Epona a pat on her flank. He nodded in understanding, then asked, "Can I go outside, at least?"

"I don't see why not, as long as we stay in the pasture." Fox was relieved that the boy was speaking to him, even if he didn't take off that ridiculous mask. Together, the duo exited the stables from the opposite side that they entered, going into a large, grassy field. It was fenced in on all sides, and many horses, Pokemon, cows, goats, and other creatures roamed.

Link finally removed the Keaton Mask, smiling at the horses as they galloped past. He then put his plan into action. Walking to the center of the pasture, he pretended to pet a cow, walking around it, putting it between himself and Fox. He then pulled out his Ocarina, and played eleven notes. The first three repeated three times, and the last two notes ended the song.

When Epona's Song rang across the field, Epona was teleported nearby, and Link quickly ran to her, climbing into the saddle. Fox realized that he had been tricked, and ra over to the two, intending to stop their departure. He reached up to grab her bridle, but there was nothing there. Link kicked Epona's sides, and she took off at a gallop, racing towards the entrance.

However, Epona stopped there. It turns out that While Link was walking towards the cow, Fox had closed the gates and locked them, trapping the horse inside. Wheeling around, they rushed towards the fence, which was also too high for the filly to leap over. Sighing in defeat, Link rode towards Fox, who waited with his arms crossed.

"Really?"

Link dismounted and looked at the ground, too afraid to meet Fox's gaze. He shrugged, then flinched away when Fox reached for him. Fox noticed this and continued, determined to comfort the boy. He touched Link's shoulder, gripping it gently. He then dropped to one knee and pulled the startled boy in for a hug.

Link, of course, was shocked. He had only been hugged by one person, and it was technically once, because time kept repeating itself in Termina. Naturally, he didn't know how to respond and left his arms handing limply by his sides. Fox, feeling Link's reluctance, sighed and released the boy, looking into his eyes.

"Link, you are braver than you think. You're also smart, but reckless. You should have been more aware of your surroundings. You would have noticed me shutting the gate, and you wouldn't have attempted escape. I'm not angry, so relax."

Link sighed again, confused by these events. Why would Fox hug him if he'd made a mistake? It was just so weird. Link didn't have long to ponder because Falco returned then, followed by Pikachu, Yoshi, Sonic, Luigi, Charizard, and, surprisingly, Jigglypuff.

* * *

They racers were lined up at the starting line, Link on Epona, Luigi on Yoshi, and all others on foot. The race was simple. They would go one lap around the castle, staying on the track. They would have to jump over a few fences and water pits that had been set up for this event. The first one to cross the finish line would be the winner, and everyone would be served cake in the order they finished.

Luigi looked over at Link, thinking to himself. The only reason he was riding Yoshi in this race was so that Link wasn't the only one not on foot. Leading the gentle dinosaur over to the candy-red horse, smiling at Link. "Let's a-go! I hope we all have fun." Link, of course, just looked at Luigi, no longer afraid of anyone, as he was too excited for the race.

"Everyone to their staring places!" They all prepared to go, leaning forward, many smiling at the chance to play together.

"Ready... GO!"

Everyone took off then, Link and Luigi giving Epona and Yoshi light kicks to their sides, causing them to take off. Pikachu ran forward as fast as her little legs could carry her, so quickly that static began to build up in her fur. Charizard used her powerful wings to propel herself forward, while Fox and Falco simply ran. Sonic didn't run at his top speed, holding himself back so that he didn't tire himself out. Jigglypuff started at what would be considered a jog for most, though she tried her hardest.

Epona easily outpaced Yoshi, Charizard, Jigglypuff, Fox, and Falco, leaving Pikachu and Sonic. The three in the front of the race rounded the corner, and soon came upon their first obstacle. It was a series of three fences, the first two being low, and the third twice as high as the first. Pikachu jumped to the top of the first fence, then, using Quick Attack, she leapt off of it, landing behind the third wall. However, this tired her out, and she had to rest for a moment. This moment, however, was too long for her to keep her lead, and Epona leapt over all three walls in succession, landing in a gallop on the other side.

Sonic was tired of holding back, and began to run at top speed. He soon blurred, and disappeared around the corner. Link saw how large of a lead he had and allowed Epona to slow for a short while before another kick sent her back to her top speed. They rounded the corner and saw what was once a water obstacle. However, Sonic's speed had been too much, and the liquid was splattered on the castle wall and around, leaving a chasm. Epona, of course, leapt over this as well, landing on the other side.

Rounding the third corner was a lightly wooded area, which slowed Link and Epona down. Epona, when at full speed, was a bit difficult to lead, and he would run into trees, taking a while to recover. Instead of allowing this, Link slowed out of her gallop, which both allowed her to recover as well as making their travels painless. They exited the woods, and Link and Epona sped up once more. Rounding the corner, Link and Epona crossed the finish/starting line, earning second place.

Now, in his experience, Link didn't get anything for second best, so he was a bit disappointed. Instead of dwelling on his sadness, he decided to watch the rest of the race. Third was Fox, fourth was Pikachu, fifth place was Falco, sixth place was awarded to Luigi and Yoshi, seventh place came out to be Charizard and Jigglypuff, who had rushed ahead by charging, then leaping onto the Fire-type.

Everyone was awarded with a "cake," as it was called. Link's eyebrows scrunched up as he gazed at the treat. Hesitantly, he took a bite, chewing slowly, before swallowing. He then ate it as fast as he could. It was so good! The cake was a simple strawberry shortcake with whipped cream, but it was the sweetest thing Link had ever eaten.

Smiling, he was finally relaxed enough to talk to the others, after getting more cake, of course. He played a bit with Pikachu, who laughed at the Keaton Mask. Link was laughing, and he seemed to be comfortable around his friends. Fox smiled as he watched his plan succeed. Link just might recover after all.

* * *

 ** _Incredibly Important Author's Note : I will not be able to finish this before school lets out. I will have to return this laptop, and I will be unable to continue to write until School starts once more. I will be able to get on and review, though._**

 ** _My only other way of accessing the internet is through my Nintendo 3DS. It's very finicky, and while it allows me to read and review stories, I will be unable to write my own. I do not know when they will take the laptops away, but I know it will be soon. That is why I am writing this now. Please do not think that I'm giving up, because I will pick up on this as soon as I am able._**


	10. Chapter 10

_**Author's Note: This chapter is very long, mainly because I summarize Link's experiences in Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. If you would not like the story to be spoiled, skip the part where Link tells his story. There**_ ** _will be a line before and after. However, as each game has been released on multiple consoles and the 3DS, I find it highly unlikely that this is the case._**

* * *

Samus, who was not in her suit, had been on her way back to her room when she noticed something odd; a chair was lodging a door shut. Instantly on guard, the bounty hunter carefully crept over to the door, though she sped up when she heard the cries for help from within. Pulling the chair out from under the doorknob, she yanked the door open.

Zelda, upon her release from Link's room, practically leapt into Samus's arms, shaking as she tried to calm herself. Pulling in a breath, she released the confused blonde from her grasp, wiping away her remaining tears. "Thank you, Samus."

Samus, for her part, didn't press the issue, seeing how Zelda wouldn't take it well. She merely smiled down at the child.

"I have to go to Master Hand at this time. He needs to know what happened. I'll be fine." With that, Zelda set off, leaving Samus alone. Seamus sighed, before continuing on her way. There was nothing she could do, so there was no point in pressing the issue.

* * *

Master Hand was silent as Zelda told her tale. When she had finished, he felt the familiar anger course through him. It was truly the goddesses fault! All of this pain, suffering. None of it had to happen. If they would have just given him the respect he deserved, everything would have been perfect. Instead, their meddling had thrown a wrench in his plans.

He was about to send a party to capture Link when a knock sounded on the door.

"Enter," called the Hand as he sighed. Yet another delay.

Fox opened the door, closing it softly behind him."Master Hand, Link is doing well."

"How so?"

"We held a race, and it made him relax. He's now made friends with myself, Falco, Pikachu, Jigglypuff, Charizard, Sonic, Luigi, and Yoshi."

"Excellent work, Fox."

It was now that Zelda spoke up. "How do we know that he won't snap again?"

Master Hand turned to her. "Zelda, everyone deserves a second chance. He's just scared. When he finally relaxes, we'll all benefit, and we can cure him. If he never learns to trust us, he won't let us help him."

She sighed. "Alright. I still don't think it's wise, but I'll help."

"Actually, you may want to avoid him as well. You said he think's you're not real, so if he sees you, he'll stop trusting us."

Master Hand waved, a clear dismissal of the two fighters. They each left the room to their different destinations. Fox went to Link, while Zelda found an empty lounge.

* * *

It had been about a week. Nearly every inhabitant of the Smash Castle had befriended the charming boy, save Master Hand, Crazy Hand, Zelda, Ganondorf, Bowser, and Mario. Bowser hadn't been interested in Link, and he spent his days with Ganondorf.

Mario had tried on numerous occasions to approach Link, but the child had always found a way to elude him, causing Mario to fall into a mild depression. How could his friend not want to see him? He had played with nearly everyone else, so why avoid him?

The sun was setting outside, and most of the castle's inhabitants were in the dining hall, eating the meal provided. Tonight was fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, buttery corn, and yeast rolls.

Mario sat near the back of the hall, far away from Link. He watched his former friend closely, so closely that Luigi had settled next to his brother in order to restrain him, should the need arise.

Link was unaware of this, laughing as he played a game called rock, paper, scissors. It was the same as rock, parchment, shears, except with a different name. He won and lost to the Ness, though he really didn't care either way. He was just glad that he had made friends.

As the night wore on, Master Hand beckoned Sonic over to him and whispered to the hedgehog. Sonic nodded, and set off. a few minutes later, he brought in a small platform strong enough to hold even the heaviest fighters. He then stood upon it and made an announcement.

"We all know that we're powerful." At this, a few cheers went up, along with a whistle. When the room quieted once more, Sonic continued. "I thought it would be fun to share some of our adventures with each other." Another cheer went up, though there were a few confused glances. Hadn't they already done this? Then the slower ones caught on. Link didn't remember them. This would be new to him, plus he'd have new stories as well.

Sonic went first, telling those gathered about defeating Dr. Robotnik. Next, Olimar and a few Pikmen took the platform. He told those gathered about crashing on a strange planet and teaching the Pikmen to defend themselves. Other fighters took the stage, some telling their entire tales, others mentioning just a battle or two, of a particular instance of glory. People clapped politely after Pikachu, for nobody understood her.

Jigglypuff then took the stage and sang, putting everyone temporarily to sleep. She then took an entire cake from the dessert table and ate it. Everyone woke up, and only Kirby noticed the cake's absence, as the rest were too entranced by the tales being told.

Finally, it was Link's turn. "Ummm... Do you want the whole story, or just a piece?"

"All of it!" they called, and Link began his tale.

* * *

"I was raised in the forested region of Hyrule known as the Kokiri Forest and the Lost Woods. As a Kokiri, I would never grow up, but if I left the Forest, I would die. We all had guardian fairies, well, all except for me. Because I didn't have one, Mido and the others would often pick on me, calling me a No-Fairy. My only friend was Saria, but she wasn't always in the Forset, often disappearing into the Lost Woods.

"One day, I was woken up by a little fairy. She said her name was Navi, and that she was to be my guardian. I was very happy, but then she said that the father of the forest, the Great Deku Tree, had summoned me. This was a big deal, so I was excited." Link stopped at this point to take a drink of water, before continuing.

Link told them about learning the Songs, meeting people, and his travels. He told them about defeating Queen Gohma, King Dodongo, and Barinade. He told them about becoming sworn brothers with a Goron named Darunia and Betrothed to a Zora named Ruto, but he didn't know what that meant, earning a chuckle from the adults in the room. He met Zelda, Impa, Malon, Talon, Epona, and Ingo.

He then became quieter, telling them about seeing Zelda chased out of the Castle by Ganondorf, her throwing the Ocarina of Time into the moat, learning the Song of Time, seeing the guard die in the back ally as he begged Link for help. He told them about unlocking the Door of Time, raising the Master Sword, and Ganondorf entering in behind him, gaining the Triforce.

Link stopped at this point, drawing in a shuddering breath and hugging himself, lost in his own thoughts. After being prompted by Palutena, he continued.

He told them about waking up seven years later, Meeting Sheik, Castle Town being filled with Redeads, the world covered in darkness. He ran to the Ranch, the first place he saw, but Talon was gone. Into had taken over. Link told them about saving Epona, and the Ranch by extension. He then rode to the forest to find it filled with monsters, and the Kokiri didn't recognize him. He ran to the Forest Temple, but Saria wasn't there. Sheik taught him the Minuet of Forest before leaving. Link entered the Temple, fought the enemies and awakened Saria, who told him that they would always be friends. Link's face had a small smile during this interaction before he frowned once more.

The Deku Tree Sprout told him that he was not a Kokiri and that his parents were dead before Link traveled to Death Mountain, where he saved the Gorona from Volvagia and awakened Darunia. He then met up with Ruto once more at the Water Temple, where he awakened her as a sage. He then Traveled to Kakariko, which was on fire. He then Defeated Bongo Bongo, saving Impa. Finally, he went to the Spirit Temple, where the had to go backwards in time to do the first half and forward for the second.

He used the power of the Sages to defeat Ganondorf, then Ganon. Zelda, who was Shiek, sent him back to his time with the Ocarina of Time. Navi left him, and nobody remembered anything. He warned Zelda and the King of Ganondorf's plan, and he was executed. Zelda gave him the Ocarina of Time once more, and he took Epona and set off.

He searched for months, ending up in the forest, but away from the Kokiri. So lonely, for nobody remembered anything, he became obsessed with Navi, He was mugged by the Skull Kid, who stole his Ocarina and Epona. Link gave chase and ended up falling into Termina. He was cursed, becoming a Deku Scrub. Tata, who helped in the mugging, teamed up with Link after the Skull Kid left her behind. He met the Happy Mask Salesman, who told him that if Link got back the Ocarina, he would return him to his true state. In return, Link would get Majora's Mask from the Skull Kid.

Link entered into Clock Town, learning that in three days, the moon would crash into the Earth, destroying everyone. Link wasn't allowed to leave the town because he had no weapons. He spent the three days saving the Great Fairy, earning entry into the Bomber's Secret Society, trading the Moon's Tear for property, and landing on the Clock Tower. At midnight of the third day, the doors opened, allowing Link to go to the top, where Skull Kid awaited. He retrieved his Ocarina and played the Song of Time, returning to the Dawn of the First day. He found the Salesman, who taught him the Song of Healing, curing his curse.

He then learned that Majora's Mask was to blame, for it was filled with great evil, destroying the sanity of those who wore it. Link travelled to the Southern Swamp, using his Deku Mask to gain entry. He learned the Sonata of Awakening, which would open the Temple. He then traveled to Woodfall and activated the owl statue, allowing him to teleport there should the need arise. He was unable to finish in time, having to start time. He finally made it through the Temple, defeating Odolwa, saving the Deku Princess, earning the Mask of Scents, and learning the Oath to Order.

He then restarted time and helped those he could, earning the Blast Mask, Bremen Mask, Great Fairy Mask, Kafei's Mask, and Kamaro's Mask.

He then went North, where he entered Snowed, defeated Goht, and earned the ability to use Big Bombs. He restarted Time.

Using the Goron Mask and Big Bomb, entering Romani Ranch. There, he met Romani and Cremia, reunited with Epona, destroyed the attackers, helped Cremia drive off thieves, and, using the Bremen Mask, raised the cucoos to adulthood, earning the Bunny Hood. He then raced the Gorman Brothers, winning Garo's Mask. He restarted Time.

He then traveled west to the Great Bay, where he used the Song of Healing on Mikau to earn the Zora's Mask. Saving Lulu's Eggs from the Pirates and the Seahorse from the fisherman, Link learned the song New Wave Bossa Nova, which returned Lulu's voice and gave him access to the Great Bay Temple. He completed this temple, exiting. He then reset time.

His quest nearly over, Link travelled east to Ikana Canyon, where he saved Pamela and her Father, Captain Keeta, and the Spirits left in the Canyon. He Learned the Elegy of Emptiness, then had to restart time. He returned to the Canyon, climbing up to Stone Tower. He entered the confusing temple, having to restart time twice before he defeated Twinmold. He restarted Time.

Even after all of this, Link wasn't ready to give up on the people. He went around and did everything he possibly could for them all, in the hopes that someone would somehow remember him. By doing this, he reunited the lovers Anu and Kafei, listened to a grandmother ramble, learned about the history of this world, received special milk for the Troupe Leader, freed the guard from the Pirates fortress, and everything else he possibly could.

Everytime, however, nobody remembered him. He finally gave up. Restarting, Link did the most important tasks, defeating the bosses once more, reuniting Anju and Kafei, Saving Pamela and her Dad, freeing the Spirits in the Canyon, teaching the dancers Kamaro's Mask, saving Romani and Cremia, and saving the eggs from the Pirates and Serpents. He then climbed the Clock Tower.

Majora's Mask gave up on Skull Kid, snapping his neck before entering the moon. Link followed. On the moon, Link challenged the Moon Children's "games," giving away his Masks. He then received the Fierce Deity's mask. Major then challenged him. However, Link had worked hard for his masks, and he wasn't going to let them go. He played the Song of Time, returning to the Dawn of the First Day.

Link repeated his actions, but this time, he used the Fierce Deity. This opened up a few hours, which he used to free the seahorse and save the man in the Spider House. He then entered the moon, but did not give away his masks. He challenged Majora as the Deity, defeating her. He gave the mask to the Salesman, reunited Tatl with the Skull Kid and Tael, and left Termina for good.

* * *

"I then saw a bright flash of light, and it hurt, and then I was here. And..." Link started to cry once more, sobbing. "I never found her. Why did Navi leave me?" Mario couldn't hold himself back anymore. He had to help his friend. He jumped up to hug Link, but Luigi stopped him.

"Mario, no. Link is afraid of you, and you'll make it worse."

"He needs me."

"No, he doesn't. He's happy without you."

"He's not happy." Mario fought Luigi, sending the younger brother sprawling into the floor. Mario then ran to the platform, where he wrapped Link in his arms, pulling the child to his chest.

Link, of course, flinched away from the contact, then screamed when he saw who had him.

"You... I know now where I know you from."

Mario smiled, thinking that Link finally remembered him. That is, until Link ripped himself away from Mario.

"You're one of the Happy Mask Salesman's masks! I saw you on his back."

"Well, Link, I am popular, and there are a lot of masks in my image."

"No." Link's voice was angry, hateful. "You're not real. Stay away, or I'll make you." He then turned and ran out of the room, followed swiftly by Fox.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note: There was a bit of confusion as to why I cannot update over the summer. My school has a wonderful technology program. Every student, from sixth grade until they graduate, is allowed to rent a laptop for the school year. We usually receive them a week before school starts, and we return them a week before it lets out. However, last year, they took up the laptops two weeks before school ended, and we didn't receive them until nearly six weeks after school started.**_

 ** _It truly is a blessing, and I am grateful for this. They have to take them up over the summer, as people move away and would have no way of returning the laptops if the school is closed. That is why I will be unable to update during the summer._**

 ** _I will still write this, perhaps in a notebook, but you will not see anything for a few months._**

 ** _Finally, I have started to work faster, hoping to have enough out there to be acceptable. If My writing suffers, let me know._**

 ** _Thank you to all who have favorite, followed, reviewed, or viewed this story. There is also a man who holds a special place in my heart, for they have been so kind. You know who you are._**


	11. Chapter 11

To say that Mario was horrified would be an understatement. He now realized that Link didn't hate him because of his personality. No, just the sight of Mario would remind Link of every terrible thing he had ever been through. However, there had to be something that could be done. It couldn't be impossible. Mario started to pursue Link, but Luigi intervened.

"Don't you think you've done enough?" Luigi was not pleased with his brother at the moment. Not only had Mario ignored all warnings, but he had physically attacked the green clad brother, something that hadn't been done unless absolutely necessary in the past.

Mario, of course, didn't see the error of his actions. He didn't even realized the pain that his brother was feeling. Instead, his mind had already leapt to conclusions. If he could somehow hide his identity, be could befriend Link, fixing the problem. Excited, he turned to his brother. "Not really. I think I can fix this."

"No, Mario. Sometimes, there isn't anything you can do."

"But I can help! If you'll just let-"

"If you don't stop now, you'll just make things worse." Luigi was fed up with his brother. He wasn't surprised that Mario didn't understand his pain, but he was still hurt.

"But Luigi, I can fix this." Mario didn't know why Luigi was being so stubborn.

"Mario, if you don't stop, you're gonna become the bad guy. That is, if you aren't there already."

This made Mario pause. Did Luigi think of him as a bad guy? He pushed the thought away. Link needed his help, Luigi could be dealt with later. Mario was tired of arguing. He nodded, before taking a direct route to his room, if only to stop fighting with his brother.

Luigi watched him leave warily, but he was relieved that Mario agreed with him on this. Luigi didn't fully believe Mario, but there was nothing he could do about this.

* * *

Link fled, Bunny Hood equipped to aid in his escape. As he ran, he began rationalizing. That mask had been with the salesman, in Termina. It wasn't like a regular mask, or the Salesman wouldn't have had it. It also didn't seem to grant any special abilities, like a super powerful nose or the ability to calm people down. Instead, whoever was wearing it looked exactly like this Mario fellow. That made it a transformation mask, Like the Goron Mask.

At this thought, Link froze, which allowed Fox to catch up. "Are you alright, Link?"

Link just turned to look at the pilot, not really focusing. His mind was already scheming at this point, planning the demise of a certain plumber.

"Do you... Are you gonna be okay?"

Link snapped back to reality, then grinned. "Yes, I'm okay. I just lost it for a bit. I'll be alright. I'm actually going to go to bed, if that's okay."

"Ummm. Are you sure?" Link just stared at him. "Okay, well, if you need to talk, my door is always open."

Link then turned and left. Fox wasn't sure how to react. On the one hand, Link wasn't stable, and he probably wasn't okay. On the other, Link was tough, and probably needed space. Besides, Fox wasn't finished eating. Pleased with himself, Fox returned to the banquet, told the others that Link would be fine, and started to feast on the mostly forgotten desserts.

* * *

Hours passed, and Mario lay in his bed, alone with his thoughts. Surely there must be a way to befriend the child. Clearly, allowing him to run would do no good. Link would have to be trapped. However, the others would surely interfere, believing that they were protecting Link. Mario would have to isolate the child somehow, then reason with him. There was no other way.

Now practically giddy with excitement, Mario leapt out of the sheets and began getting dressed. He could start now, and then Link would be his friend again. Fumbling with his gloves, Mario finished dressing and rushed out of his room, before doing a double take. The hall lights were off, meaning that it was late. Checking the clock, Mario realized that it was 3:27, far too early for this. His excitement fading quickly, Mario returned his bedroom, firmly closing the door behind him. He didn't realize just how close he came to death.

Changing back into pajamas, Mario returned to bed. It couldn't be too bad if he waited until tomorrow, could it?

Sighing, Mario rolled onto his side, clicking off the lamp. It would have to wait until the next day.

Meanwhile, Link was sheathing his sword, All-Night Mask clinging to his face. That creature had narrowly escaped death. Link, hoping to end it tonight, would have to find a way into the room where Mario resided. Turning the knob proved that it was locked, though it was worth a shot to try. Almost lighting a bomb, Link remembered that the explosion would cause too much attention. Taking the All-Night mask off to use another would cause him to feel sleepy. There had to be another way in.

The window. Link dashed down the hall, before exiting onto a balcony. He pulled out the hookshot, latching onto a wooden flower basket that took him to the next balcony. This room belonged to Peach, as Link realized when he glanced into the room. Link then used hid hookshot to reach the next balcony, courtesy of Wii Fit Trainer's bonsai. The trend continued as Link traversed the balconies, almost making it to Mario's room.

Link could tell who it belonged to, as nobody else would have their own name on a plaque above their door. Link was prepared to travel over there from Charizard's balcony, but there was nothing to grab onto. It seemed that his quest was over. That is, until he remembered a specific song. Drawing out his Ocarina, Link played eight notes.

Nothing happened.

Cursing himself for trying to spice things up with a different song with each three day cycle, Link tried a few more combinations before he finally played the Scarecrow's Song. Pierre the Scarecrow erupted from seemingly nowhere on Mario's balcony, being summoned by the song.

Just as Link was about to hookshot his way over there, Charizard erupted from her room. Having been awoken by the random notes, she was in no mood to be hospitable to a possible intruder. Shoving Link behind her and into the room, she shot a fire ball at Pierre, who jumped in shock. "Yikes! I'm outta here!" He then disappeared.

Charizard turned roughly, prepared to destroy whoever had interrupted her slumber. Rushing forward, she grabbed whoever the intruder was, noting how small and light they were. She slammed them down onto the bed, holding them down to get a good look at them. Flames were licking at her teeth, and she was ready to destroy the intruder at a moment's notice.

She then noticed who it was, and she instantly softened, flames dying down. However, she had a reputation to uphold. Rather than ripping him to shreds like she would have with any adults, she picked him up and carried his struggling form outside once more, growling darkly.

"Put me down, put me down!" Link's cries were answered, but not in the way he was hoping for or expecting. Charizard leapt up with a snap of her wings, flying up towards the stars. She then dove for the moat. Five feet from the surface of the water, she released the child with a satisfying splash. She landed on her perch once more, watching to make sure he was alright. When he clambered out unscathed but dripping wet, Charizard growled out a chuckle before returning to bed.

At this point, Link knew that continuing was pointless. He couldn't risk waking anyone else up with his Ocarina, and there was no other way to get to Mario's room. Sneaking so as not to be questioned, Link returned to his room, where he removed the mask. Instantly tired, Link drew a bath to clean the moat water out of his hair. Within an hour, he was clean, dressed, and asleep in his bed. Clutched tightly to his chest was a mask in the likeness of a young wooden child.

* * *

 **Author's note: I'm back! Did you miss me? New Month, New Day, New Chapter.**

 **As soon as I got my computer again, I went and reread this story. I've written since then. We will continue with a at least one chapter a week, until this story ends. However, I will do my very best to finish before June, so that there isn't another horribly long wait.**

 **Finally, a piece of me for you. Marching band has been going on for a while now, and it's finally coming together. Music memory needs work, and the marching could be a little cleaner, but other than that, I think we're good. The first movement is nearly finished, and Monday, we start the second.**

 **Alright, bye guys.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's note: Since I finished ahead of schedule, I decided not to make you guys wait. Congratulations!**

* * *

The next day, Mario wandered through the halls, a plain mask hidden in his overalls. His plan was simple. He would disguise himself, befriend Link, lead him away from the others, and then reveal his true identity. When Link saw who he really was, he would be able to remain friends with him. It was foolproof!

Link, meanwhile, had a similar plan. He would isolate the plumber and ask him to remove the mask. If refused, Link would attack until either the mask was removed or the imposter was dead. There were no other options, as far as Link was concerned. These people thought that their friend was still with them. That meant that whoever was hiding under the mask had probably killed the real Mario.

It was now 3 pm, and Mario had been up since 6 am. He was tired, but he didn't want to give up. Around half of the other residents of the castle were away, and most who remained were training. This made Mario's plan both more and less likely to work. If he ran into Link, he could isolate him more easily, but the chances of finding the young Hylian were slim.

Mario was on the verge of quitting for the day when a small child came up to him. The child blinked up with yellow eyes at the plumber, who in turn stared at the strange child before him.

The child appeared to be made of wood, wearing green clothes similar to Link's, and they couldn't have been older than 7. They gazed at Mario with wide, curious eyes, before a spark of recognition seemed to shake their tiny frame.

"Hey, mister, you're Mario, right?" Their voice was young and high-pitched, which made Mario smile.

"You're right, young man. Do you want an autograph?"

"That sounds cool, but..." The child looked down sadly, "I don't have anything with me. I left it all in another room."

Mario's heart ached for the child. How awful to finally meet your idol and not have anything to show for it. This alone caused Mario to forget that strangers were rarely permitted in the castle. "I can go with you to get it."

"Really?" The child looked excited, jumping up and down.

"Sure thing, bud. Lead the way."

The Deku Scrub leapt up and ran down the hall, Mario easily keeping up.

The duo entered a training room. The walls were rounded, with ramps leaping up towards the center. Surrounding on all sides was a small moat, with a bridge leading from the door to the training grounds flowers dotted the floor, and there was a Mario hat on the floor in the middle. As Mario went over to sign it, he didn't notice the door locking behind him.

Turning to the child, Mario smiled. "Here you go, bud." The child didn't react, choosing to stare at Mario instead. Then, without warning, he spun forward, a thick branch extending from him as he slammed into a stunned Mario. Mario wasn't amused, but he didn't want to hurt the kid if he didn't have to.

"Jeez, kiddo. That was quite the attack. Seriously, though, you ought to re-."

Suddenly, a bubble hit Mario directly in the face, followed by another full-bodied attack.

"Okay, kid, you asked for it." Mario landed a few hits on the Deku Scrub, expecting that to be it. However, those were shielded, followed by another attack. Mario, in a desperate move, launched a few fireballs, which missed as the child burrowed into a flower. The child leapt up, dropping seeds at Mario, who dodged. The child fell to the ground. Mario lunched a fireball at the child, and it hit, electing a scream from the kid. Mario instantly stopped, checking the wooden boy for injury.

The child stood up and ran a bit away, before facing Mario once more. He reached up and pulled at his face. There was a flash, and then Link was standing where the Deku scrub had been. Mario was more than a little confused, before remembering the masks. "You... why, Link?"

"Listen to me, imposter. I know what you did. If you didn't do it on purpose, that's okay, but you killed him."

"Link, what are you-"

"You know. You know exactly what I'm talking about. I mean, come on. Transformation masks don't just come from nowhere. Someone had to die to create it. Now, this is your only chance. Remove the mask and give these people closure, or I will force you to, by whatever means necessary."

Mario didn't take this seriously, mainly because he wasn't entirely sure of what Link meant. "I'm not a mask. I'm real, don't you understand?"

Link didn't, no, he couldn't. He was so sure of his theory that he wouldn't take no for an answer. Leaping forward, Link drew his sword and began slashing at Mario, who dodged. Link then flipped backwards before throwing a few bombs at Mario. One hit, and Mario was momentarily stunned. This was enough of an opening for Link to land three slashes before Mario recovered.

Mario still didn't want to harm Link, but there was little choice in the matter. Leaping forward, Mario punched and kicked at Link, landing quite a few hits, before Link escaped from Mario's reach. Mario shot a few fireballs at Link's retreating form, though none landed. He then leapt up, planning to attack Link from above.

Link, of course, had been expecting this. He waited for a moment, charging his attack, before meeting Mario midair with a Spin Attack. The force of this attack flung Mario backwards and into the ground, where he lay, dazed, for a moment. In this moment, Link landed on him, slamming his sword down in an attempt to impale him. Seeing this, Mario rolled back, and though he wasn't killed, his leg was sliced by the sharp sword.

Hissing in pain, Mario kicked behind him, feet planting squarely in Link's chest. Link was launched backwards, slamming into the wall above the door, before landing in a crumpled heap on the bridge. Link didn't rise. Mario slowly rose to his feet, grunting at the pain in his leg. He saw the state Link was in, and regret filled him.

"Link! Link, are you okay? I'm sorry!" Mario limped over to the child as quickly as he could, collapsing by Link's side. He was reaching to check for a pulse when Link launched himself up, slamming into Mario, who attempted to hold Link still. "Please stop. You're going to hurt yourself. Just let me help you."

"You can help me by removing that mask." Link was in no mood for games.

"Okay, you win." Mario released Link, then backed away a few paces. Link clambered to his feet and watched warily as Mario reached into his overalls, pulling out a mask resembling a Shy Guy. He lightly tossed it, and it landed near Link's feet. Link merely laughed.

"You must think I'm stupid. No, I mean the one you're wearing now. That was your last chance." Link knew that the statement wasn't true. He would do anything to let this person live. After all, he wasn't perfect himself, and this person might have initially had a reason to wear this mask. He had simply gotten too used to this form.

Mario, of course, couldn't say anything to this. He couldn't prove anything to Link. He simply had to escape and wait until the Link of this time returned. He sighed, backing away.

Link reached into his bag and pulled out a mask. Placing it on his head, he screamed in pain as his body began to turn. Mario lunged forward, for even if Link didn't like him, he shouldn't have to go through such pain. Mario didn't know what was going on, but his instincts kicked in, and he knew that he had to save Link.

There was a flash, and when the light faded, his new form was revealed, leaving Mario both shocked and intimidated.

* * *

 **Author's note. "Another cliffhanger?! " Yes, yes. Gasp in shock. I'm terrible, I know. But rejoice, for this fight sequence between these two alone will not continue for too much longer. At least, not too much** **longer in my personal opinion. It could certainly be worse.**

 **Prepare yourselves. Great things are occurring. Great things.**


	13. Chapter 13

When the light faded, Mario was met with a Goron that towered above the short-statured plumber. "Hey, there's no need for violence," Mario started in an attempt to be reasonable.

Link cracked his knuckles, then curled in on himself, protecting any vulnerable areas. He rolled quickly towards Mario, hitting him dead center.

Mario was launched backwards into the wall, which he bounced off of, landing in the waters below. He swam to the shore, clambering onto the platform. He caught his breath, then quickly rose to his feet. He ran for the center of the room, but Link sped up, with spikes protruding from his body. Link flew at a ramp, using it to land on Mario in an attempt to crush him. Mario was battered by the force of Link, though not broken.

"Okay, you asked for it." Mario attempted to fight back, which ended up with him being tossed into the water once more.

While in the pool, Mario realized that Link didn't follow him into the water. Link was made of rock in this form. He would sink and drown, or fall unconscious. Mario then formed a new plan: Push Link into the water, let him lose consciousness, then remove the mask and get him to the medical wing. Mario quickly filled F.L.U.D.D. to maximum capacity before exiting the water one more.

Link saw Mario exit and charged at him, hoping that brute force would be enough. Just before reaching him, Mario leapt around him, then released the jet of water, effectively pushing Goron Link into the pool.

Link had been ready for this. Just before he hit the water, he switched to the Zora Mask. He hit the water with a huge splash, before swimming down to the bottom, out of Mario's view. He stood there, aiming his boomerangs at the unsuspecting Mario. He let them fly, and they erupted from the water. Mario leapt back in shock, tripping over his own feet. This ended up saving him, as the boomerangs narrowly missed him.

When they returned to Link, he pushed off of the bottom, shooting out of the water and landing before Mario. After giving a few sharp kicks, Link began slashing at Mario with the sharp edges of his fins, but before he could deal a final blow, Mario rolled away.

Rising to his feet, Mario began an attack of his own, punching and kicking at Link. Link retaliated, and they began to trade off, blow for blow. Realizing this, Link rolled away, and fireballs were tossed at his retreating form. One landed, and Link hissed in pain. Now retreating, Link continued to back away, trying to dodge the fire.

Mario pursued, slowly growing closer to Link and the edge. When he was near enough, he jumped forward, grabbing onto the Zora. Link used this momentum and threw himself backwards, into the waters. This was his domain.

As Mario began floundering towards the surface, Link charged up and sped towards him, citing him with his fins, before turning and repeating the process. Mario broke through the water and managed one gulp before Link pulled him down into the waters once more. It was then that Mario realized the danger he was in. Link was going to drown him if he couldn't escape.

Mario's limbs were slow in the waters as he fought Link, attempting to punch and kick his way to victory. His fire couldn't form in the depths, so there was very little to be done. In a last ditch effort, Mario bit down on Link's arm, earning a yelp and a moment of freedom. He used this chance to kick off of Link, swimming as fast as he possibly could. This time, Link wasn't fast enough to stop him, and Mario pulled himself back onto dry land. Once there, Mario dragged himself to the center, far from the water's edge. He lay there gasping, trying desperately to remain conscious.

Link arose from the water, taking his time about it. This succeeded in unnerving Mario, who watched warily. Link merely glanced at him, taking in the nearly drowned state and wounds. He took off the mask with a grim smile, returning to his original form. It was time to finish this.

* * *

Luigi had just finished training on platforms with Mewtwo, Pikachu, and Fox. They were on their way to another Training room which contained varied surfaces for combat. When they arrived at their destination, they found the door to be locked. They could hear what sounded like Mario and splashing within. It wasn't normal for Mario to lock a training room, as he welcomed more challengers when he could.

"Mewtwo, could you please see who's with Mario, and what their intentions are?" Luigi's voice was cold, and though it didn't betray any nervousness, his stance stiffened, and leaned towards the doors slightly, indicating his concern.

Fox and Pikachu both put their ears up at bit a this. Something weird had to be up for Luigi to be so worried.

Mewtwo nodded, then focused for a bit. Eyes glowing, the Pokemon allowed the other's thoughts to be heard, then cut some out, whittling it down to the targets. Suddenly knowing exactly what was going on, Mewtwo gasped, turning quickly to Luigi.

"Link is going to kill Mario... He think's that someone is impersonating Mario, and that the person he's with is not real."

That was enough for Luigi to leap at the door, green flames flickering between his fingertips. "Link! Link, open up!" He pounded the metallic door, kicking at it in a desperate attempt to get inside.

Pikachu suddenly rocketed forward, slamming into the door with all her strength. She ran back a bit and launched herself once more. Fox started kicking it as fast as he could, hoping to weaken it a bit. He then coated himself with flames before throwing himself at the door. Mewtwo used psychic energy to press on the door, straining to gain entrance, before gaining an idea.

"Everyone, step back." The others quickly backed away, knowing that things could be violent. Mewtwo felt within the door using psychic energy, quickly finding the locking mechanism. With a loud click, the door opened, and Luigi wasted no time in entering.

Once inside, the quartet were shocked to see the state Mario was in. Luigi was at Mario's side within moments. He glared up at Link, apoplectic at the thought of his brother in such pain.

The other three quickly followed, standing between the brothers and Link. Link watched them silently, mentally berating himself for not being faster. He'd just lost his chance. These people would never let him finish, that much was clear. There was no way that he could get past them all. Besides that, there was no way that they'd let Link be alone with Mario ever again.

This meant that there was only one option, though it would be dangerous. Link stepped backwards, putting distance between himself and his prey. He then reached for the final Transformation mask, the one that had cost the most effort, most pain, and the most frustration. Pulling it over his face, Link cried out as he was transformed into the Fierce Deity.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Wooo! Two weeks late! I suppose thirteen is unlucky for a reason. I'm sorry about this being so late, not that "sorry" does much good. If I had a time machine, I'd have had this done, but alas, I do not. But hey, at least the next chapter is in the works.**


	14. Chapter 14

As the Fierce Deity gazed down at the group huddled before him, he wondered at this new turn of events. It had been such a long time since he had been summoned, and never in this place. So why now was he in this room, and with nothing to fight?

There was then a stirring within himself. The child, Link, had summoned him as a last ditch effort to eliminate the red-clothed imposter, freeing these people from lies. However, the Deity could see what the child could not. There was no mask. Simply put, Link was wrong.

This had never happened before. In all other cases, the Fierce Deity had been summoned to restore balance. As soon as the request was fulfilled, he'd have no more purpose, and would return to the mask. Now, however, the mission was impossible. This meant that there was nothing to do, and yet Link was not ready to return to the world.

He turned his gaze downwards at the warriors below him, noticing the roiling emotions within each one. As fun as toying with them could be, the Deity wanted to use the time he had to enjoy being in the world once more.

With these thoughts in mind, the Fierce Deity strode towards the group, who all tensed in preparation of a fight. The Deity ignored them, passing the quartet to exit the room. He payed no heed to their angry shouts. He had better things to do.

He then began to run through the halls, armor clinking against his body, sword at the ready. He sharply turned corners, not breaking any of the vases around. He passed by hundreds of windows before coming across a balcony. Wasting no time, he threw open the doors, vaulted over the railing, and swam across the moat to the other side. Finding himself outside in a lush field, the Deity smiled, a real smile for the first time in millennia. He then lay on the ground, watching the clouds drift across the sky. He was content.

* * *

As Luigi watched Link's new form walk by, anger filled him. Link had critically injured Mario, and now he thinks he can just waltz away with no repercussions?

Mew two stared at the newcomer warily. Their movements were different from Link's, as was their overall bearing. Mewtwo took a moment to look into the Deity's mind, and was shocked by what he discovered.

"Come back here, Link! You can't just leave," shouted Fox. There was no reply, and the figure disappeared around a corner. Fox made to follow, but was stopped by Mewtwo's hand on his wrist.

"That's not Link. Not entirely, anyway. There's something else there, and while Link can influence this creature, Link is not in control."

At this, Pikachu perked up. "Pika, pikachupi?"

"No, Thunderbolt can't cure this," Mewtwo laughed.

"Guys, we can deal with Link, or whoever later. Mario needs medical attention immediately." Luigi's words had the desired effect, and everyone focused once more on the injured man. With the ability to look into Mario's body and find any irregularities, Mewtwo was the closest thing they had to a doctor at this time. They looked to the psychic hopefully.

Under Mewtwo's instruction, the group bandaged the wounds and carried the now unconscious Mario to the infirmary.

* * *

It had been hours, and all of the residents of the castle had returned to the castle. For the most part, they were upset by this turn of events. Nobody went to bother the armor-clad swordsman in the yard. This fact alone began to worry the Fierce one. Somebody should have at least checked to see if he was still there by this point. There were three possibilities.

There was a small chance that they had forgotten about him altogether, which was unlikely. He could have scared them so badly that they were avoiding him altogether, which wasn't the most logical. That meant that they were planning to destroy him, probably in an attempt to regain Link. If he wanted his freedom, he'd have to fight for it.

But what would be the point? He would escape this place, yes, but then what? Wherever he went, he'd be hunted down, just as he always had been. Maybe it would be better to let himself be destroyed. Then, at least, he'd never have to worry about this world or the people in it. Whatever was awaiting him in the afterlife couldn't be like this, right? He just wanted it to be over.

Then he remembered Link. Link was filled with anger, confusion, and a thirst for vengeance. This would never go away on its own, and, clearly, these people here weren't qualified to help him.

The Fierce Deity sighed. Once again, he'd put his own desires to the side to help others.

He opened his eyes and looked around him, taking in the beautiful world he found himself in. The grass bowed gently with a light breeze, a few flowers here and there seeming to glow in the gentle moonlight. The clouds from before were still present, creating a patchwork of stars and darkness across the vast skies above.

He channeled the moonlight from above, allowing it to calm his nerves as he began meditating. His blank white eyes emitted a small glow as the Deity retreated into his mind

* * *

Darkness. That was all there was. Suddenly, two glowing white pinpoints could be made out. Sensing this, blue orbs snapped open.

Piercing blue met the cold white, and a connection was formed.

"Has the imposter been defeated?" Always right to the point with this one, never a greeting.

"Link, the one you asked me to fight was the true Mario."

"How could you be fooled by him as well? You should know better."

"I do. Simply put, you were wrong about him."

"But his actions. His self absorbed assurance that he was so important."

"Some people are merely like that. You ought to know."

It was true. Link had met many people of this nature, from Mido to the Zora King. He sighed deeply.

"What do we do now?"

This question caught the Fierce Deity off guard, though only for a moment. With a bright flask, the white engulfed the blue, and they merged.

* * *

The Deity opened his real eyes, now with cerulean irises and with pupils. His cold gaze swept from the water reflecting the sky to the flowers, then to the actual sky. He focused on the twisting clouds, then back down to the grasses.

"Look at it all. It's all beautiful, yet it will all end. The water doesn't care that the grass will consume it, nor do the plants care that the sky will drop snow onto them, freezing them to death. They simply live, enjoying their moments in this life. Were they to strain against their fates, the waters would rush about, the flowers would never bloom, and the sky would constantly be howling with the winds. Isn't this better?

"You are full of rage and pain. Link, those who wronged you don't even remember it. That seems unfair. But this gives a chance for everyone to redeem themselves. Mido was riddled with guilt about how he treated you, and given time, the others would have as well."

The eye softened suddenly, the steely edge disappearing with innocence. Link, now in control, glanced around.

"What if they don't forgive me?"

At this, the Deity regained control.

"If they don't forgive you, don't worry about it. In time, they will. You held your grudges for so long, don't you want to let go?" The Deity felt that his work was finished. He retreated into his mind as the air cooled considerably.

* * *

Darkness once more, and the eyes separated once more.

"Thank you. But, do you want something in return?"

"No, Link. Just fix things for yourself, that will be enough."

* * *

Link awoke on the grass, mask clutched in hand, snow starting to fall. He began to travel around to apologize to everyone, staring with Epona.

"I'm sorry I treated you so poorly. I'm sorry I made you do so much, and that I never let you rest." She nickered in reply, nuzzling his neck with her nose, seeming to forgive the boy. He smiled, before going to the castle.

He started with those he had n't bonded with closely, apologizing for that fact alone. He apologized for his initial wariness, and his continued outbursts. He apologized to a passing Master Hand, who wan't really paying attention.

Now came the harder ones. Peach took his apology in stride, not really understanding what he was sorry for in the first place. Link then went to Zelda, apologizing for mistaking her for his princess, for locking her in his room, and for treating her poorly. Always a diplomat, Zelda forgave him, waiting until he left the room to cry.

Fox wasn't so tough. He hugged the child to himself, realizing that this Link was leaving, probably for good. The anthropomorphic creature had tears running down his face, which made Link cry. They continued this for a minute or two before nearly simultaneously remembering that they're supposed to be tough. Falco watched on, giving a simple thumbs up to Link in response.

Pikachu could tell that Link meant his apology and gave him a soft shock from her cheek before bounding away, returning shortly with a Leichi Berry. Link ate it at her insistence, then smiled at the sweet flavor. He thanked her, then went for the most difficult, yet most deserved, apologies.

* * *

 **AN: This chapter was initially connected with Chapter 15, but they were far too long combined. Sorry about that, and any criticism, or just pointing out where things could have been better will be appreciated.**


	15. Chapter 15

Luigi was annoyed at the intrusion of Mario's hospital room, but that was quickly replaced with anger at the sight of Link.

"What are you doing here? If you think Imma let you finish the job, you have another thing coming."

"Luigi, please listen to me." Maybe it was his tone of voice, maybe it was the tear tracks on his cheeks. Whatever it was, Luigi decided to give Link another chance, but he was still wary, and wouldn't let Link get any closer to the bed.

"Luigi, please, let him say what he needs to." Mario had awoken in time to watch Link enter, but hadn't said anything. Luigi and Link were both surprised, but Link seized the opportunity to speak before it was too late.

"Luigi, Mario, I'm so sorry I attacked. I was convinced that Mario wasn't real because of my own hatred, and this blinded me to the truth. I would've loved to get to know you guys without this, but I can't take the past away."

"Link, I accept your apology. What about you, Luigi?" Mario's forgiving nature had kicked in once more, and he couldn't find a reason to doubt Link. Luigi didn't see it this way, but he knew that admitting to this would only cause issues in the future.

So, Luigi did as he always did. He plastered on his doe-eyed expression, adding a huge grin to add to the dopey, childish look. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't hide the distrust in his voice.

"Of course it's okay, Link! You said sorry, isn't that what counts?"

Link accepted this, for once not on guard enough to notice, and Mario was far too tired to register the change in his brother's tone.

"Thank you guys." Link then left the room, followed by Luigi. Luigi caught up with him quickly, then grabbed his arm.

"Listen to me. You may think this is all over, but I don't trust you, and I may never. You attacked Mario and others in this castle, hiding behind your youth like a shield. You almost killed my brother, and you think a simple 'I'm sorry' will fix this? Grow up." Luigi stormed off, back into Mario's room, slamming the door behind him with a resounding bang.

* * *

Ganondorf and Bowser had been in their usual room, talking, when Link arrived. The boy looked up at his old enemy timidly.

"Ganondorf, can... can I talk to you for a moment?"

Bowser didn't like being interrupted, and he growled out a warning, "Kid, you need to back up. Now." Link backed away at this, deciding to wait until later, but Ganondorf intervened.

"Wait just a moment. I haven't seen this child in quite awhile. I'd like to hear what he has to say."

Steeling himself, Link took a deep breath. "Ganondorf, I'm sorry." This wasn't what was expected, and Ganondorf looked at the child disbelievingly. Before he could question it, the hero continued, "I'm sorry I hated you so much. I'm sorry I didn't give you a chance before working to defeat you. I'm sorry I never stopped hating you." Link finished up his apology, then looked at the ground, waiting for the angry response he was expecting.

Ganondorf fell forward onto one knee, hugging Link close to himself. Nobody had ever said anything like that to him. Sure, he had gotten apologies before, but that was from someone who had failed him. Never had anyone ever meant it, nor was it for something that wasn't entirely their fault.

Link started to cry, so Ganondorf held his shaking form tighter.

"Shhhhh Link, it's alright. That wasn't your fault. I did horrible things, and you did what you thought was right. That's commendable." Ganoondorf was moved by this simple apology. After so many years of hatred on his part, being hated in return, to have someone actually care enough to do this meant more than anyone knew.

Link stopped crying eventually, and he hugged Ganondorf once more before leaving for the last time.

He walked away, seeing the layer of snow on the ground outside. He then remembered another mission.

Link strode through the halls, smiling the whole way. Fox saw him and followed at a distance, not wanting to be seen, but not wanting to lose him. Link went outside into the bitter cold, gasping at the wind that bit his skin. It was so cold that the moat had already frozen over. It wasn't safe to be out here, but Link wasn't going to take long.

Link reached into his bag and pulled out four masks. They shone in the moonlight, the souls within each moving under the surface. Link was going to free them using the songs he knew.

He pulled out the Ocarina of Time, played the Sonata of Awakening, followed by the Song of Healing. The Deku Mask glowed a bit, and next to it materialized the form of the Deku Butler's son. The wooden child nodded at Link, then went to the side, awaiting the others.

Link repeated this process for the Goron and Zora masks, with the Goron's Lullaby and New Wave Bossa Nova respectively. Darmani and Mikau joined the young Deku as they watched on.

Link then pulled out the Fierce Deity's mask. He thought over all of the songs he knew, then decided on one. He played the Sun's Song, then the Elegy of emptiness, followed by the Song of Healing. The Deity exited the mask slowly, unsure of this. However, when he realized what was happening, he relaxed, waiting for freedom.

Link smiled at them, then played the Song of Time to send them to a happier time, and then shattered each mask. The four smiled, then faded away, three into the night, and one into the moonlight.

* * *

Link still wasn't at peace, but he didn't know why. He had forgiven everyone who had ever been cruel to him. He'd let go of everything any person had ever done. He looked deep within himself, before he finally found the reason.

Navi.

Navi had left him, all alone, with no explanation. She'd just disappeared, which had started his quest in the first place.

Link took a deep breath, then sighed slowly, releasing his anger with the air. He'd forgiven her as well. He now had nothing left to tie him down. He was fully content.

A golden glow emitted from the child as his body morphed back into the Link from this time, before the others started to fight for dominance. The correct Link was almost in control when they collectively noticed the cold. All but one instinctively recoiled, and that one gained control.

At this point, Fox was worried, but he remained in the shadows so as not to frighten the transforming Link, and telling the others would cause tension and possibly false hope.

On the other side of the castle, Zelda and Epona glowed as well, growing back into what appeared to be their correct forms, and the residents started to celebrate the return of their hero.

They were too early, as when the light faded, a wolf replaced the young boy.

* * *

 **AN: A bit short, but this chapter and chapter 15 were too long combined, so I had to separate them somewhere. Sorry, dudes. Oh well. Ocarina of Time/ Majora's Mask Link is finished for this story. Wolf Link has arrived, so fun with the animals will come shortly.**


	16. Chapter 16

**AU: Horrible author is horrible. Please accept my apology for the long wait. I simply cannot write this consistently and keep my grades up in school. To solve this, I made the decision to write it all and upload the rest at once. Future compositions will be completed before I begin to upload to prevent similar circumstances.**

* * *

The wolf opened his eyes slowly, then gazed around his new surroundings. He didn't recognize his location, but there seemed to be a castle nearby, which would either mean danger or a thriving civilization. Or both.

Link sighed softly, not liking his circumstances. The last thing he remembered was riding through the Faron Woods after Midna returned to her realm. How had he gotten here, and for what purpose?

He was about to take a step forward when he heard the grass behind him crunch. Whirling around with a growl, Link was met with the sight of a strange being. This creature was similar to a fox, but it walked on its hind legs, wore clothes similar to a human, and showed far more intelligence in its eyes.

Hearing the growl, Fox held up his hands in slight annoyance. "Jeez, I'm not gonna hurt you, Link."

With this, Link relaxed slightly, though his confusion didn't disappear. Why was he a wolf again? Only The Veil of Twilight and the Shadow Crystal should be able to change him into this form. More importantly, how did this being know his name? Realizing that his attention was drifting, Link sat down and focused on Fox.

"Come on Link. We have to let Master Hand know about this. I'll explain as best I can on the way." With that, Fox stalked off towards the castle, tail flicking impatiently behind him. Link followed hesitantly, not knowing how else to proceed.

* * *

Master Hand was not in the mood to deal with this. It was late. He had been sleeping when Fox woke him, claiming it was important. And while it was, there was no reason it couldn't have waited until the morning, in the hand's opinion.

"I'll mail that letter and tell the others," mumbled Master Hand. "Link, remain your room until someone comes for you. It'll probably be Fox."

With a wave, the duo was dismissed. Pulling out the letter, the hand added a bit to the bottom:

 _PS: We solved the issue with the child, now Link is a wolf, and I don't want to deal with it. Since you started this, fix it._

The hand then sent the letter, and returned to sleep, not worried in the slightest about offending anyone.

* * *

Fox took Link directly to his room, opening the door for the wolf. He watched in slight amusement as Link ran around, investigating everything with his ears forward and his tail wagging in utter excitement. After Fox had ensured that Link would be all right, his mood soured.

"Well, I've got to go. I'll see you around."

Fox traversed the halls, deep in thought. He was not the wisest resident of the castle, nor the most patient, but he did have a caring heart, and he took emotional pains very deeply.

Sighing, Fox made his way to the roof, where he sat, watching the stars. He wished he was out among them, but Link would need support. His melancholy mood was matched by the silvery glow of the surrounding lands, bathed in moonlight. It seemed that the world itself felt the same, which comforted Fox in a strange way.

Slowly, he became aware of the tears rolling down his cheeks, and he was happy that nobody saw him cry. That was, until he heard a cough from behind. Fox whirled around to face Falco, quickly bringing a gloved paw up to wipe his face.

"What're ya doin' here, Falco?" Fox asked, slightly chocked up by lingering tears.

Falco looked at the state his companion was in, sighing quietly to himself. "Fox, it'll be okay."

"I'm fine," Fox answered, though a bit too quickly. "I jus' wanted to see stars, that's all."

"Fox, you don't always have to be strong. Look, he's back where he belongs now. He gets peace."

"He doesn't, though. He was forced through so much, and then he was pretty much killed. There's nothing for him!"

"Fox, we'll work this out. There has to be a way. We've never quit on a friend before, and we won't now. Besides, we still have Link." With that, Falco left Fox to his thoughts.

Fox really missed Young Link, and while this wolf would likely be just as kind as the other two versions were, it still wouldn't be the same.

* * *

Far away, in their realm, three beautiful women were enjoying themselves, caring for the world they had created.

Suddenly, a small puff of smoke disturbed them. In the center of their throne room was an envelope. They reached forward, and each received their own copy of the letter. In unison, they opened the envelopes, unfolded the paper, and read. When finished, they turned to one another. It was Din who broke the silence, anger clear in her gaze.

"This cannot go without consequences. That creature needs to learn its place!"

Always reasonable, it was Nayru who responded, "Patience, sister. We must be careful. Should we attack now, they'd be ready. Besides, we must wait for the Hero to return to his correct timeline."

"We can solve this on our own! Destroy the Hand, and take what is ours. We could easily fix this on our own."

"But why go to such trouble when we can wait for them to fix it? Once they have him in top condition, we can resume our operation."

"That does make sense, but I don't like doing nothing."

Farore piped up from her seat, "Why don't we send someone? Then we'll be helping, but not directly."

"But who should we send? It has to be someone he'd recognize, but someone who'd be able to actually do the job," Din replied.

"They mentioned in the charming post script that Link was currently a wolf. We should send the Queen of Twilight to aid him." Nayru responded.

With that, the three were satisfied, and each continued as though nothing had happened.

* * *

Deep within the Twilight Realm, Midna sat, feet propped on the arm of her chair in an unladylike fashion. Before her, a grand table covered in maps and a small feast was played before her. Surrounding the table was her council, which consisted of her most trusted subjects. The council was far smaller than it had been before Zant's usurpation.

"Queen Midna, are you paying attention?" One of her council asked of her.

"Of course I am," Midna replied, fighting a yawn.

"You need to settle this dispute between the Lords. If they go to war between their factions, we will be unable to intervene in our current state. We have not the army, nor the power to do so. Settle this soon, or there will be bloodshed."

"Alright, alright. The chasm has been the border for such a long time. All of these issues were caused by them attempting to trade land. To simplify things, reset the border, and I think we should put a law into effect, stating that the provinces can only change in shape, size, or leadership under the crown's supervision or, if the current ruler is away, the council may intervene."

"Thank you Midna, but what of any people currently in the wrong province?"

"They may remain. Uprooting them would cause more issues. Is there anything else we need to discuss today?"

"No, Your Majesty." They all chorused.

"Then I call this meeting to a close."

They all rose to leave, when a golden glow appeared behind Midna. From the light emanated a soft voice. "Do not be afraid. We will not hurt you."

"What is this?" The councilmen were not pleased.

A soft, gentle laugh filled the room, before the glow extended towards Midna. "Do not worry. We are simply borrowing her. She will be returned when we are finished."

"Wait!" Shouted Midna, whirling around to face the light. "I didn't agree to go with you?"

There was a brief bit of silence, before the voice continued. "Last time your people defied us, you were banished here."

Recognizing the Goddesses, Midna was wary, but tried not to let it show. With a snarky grin, she responded, "About that. Everyone involved with the incident is now long gone. I'll cooperate, but I need something in return."

"Hmm... How about we discuss this somewhere more... private."

With that, there was a blinding flash, and when the room returned to normal, the Twili were left without their queen.


	17. Chapter 17

Link was sleeping peacefully when he heard the clatter of a fork hitting the floor. Preparing for a fight, he leapt to his feet with a snarl, blue eyes scanning the room for danger, before he caught sight of a familiar face. Tail wagging, Link bounded over to Midna with a woof of excitement.

Midna whirled around, skirt billowing around her, just in time to be knocked to the floor by the grey and black furred wolf. Laughing, she pushed him off, smearing the apple pie into his fur.

"What a good little doggy, so excited to see his mistress." Instantly, Link backed away, then sat in mock anger, though he couldn't stop his tail from wagging. It was then that the golden threads tying the two together became apparent. Midna tried to shake them off, but they clung to her, slowly wrapping around her form. She struggled, but it seemed that the more she fought, the more she was bound by the glittering tendrils.

Link lunged forward, trying to rip them away, but a wind began to swirl about her form, knocking him away from her. He was panicking, eyes wild, breath coming in short, shallow gasps. Midna's mouth opened, trying to breath, but the threads covered her face, blocking any oxygen.

With a sudden crack, the threads constricted, crushing down into a much smaller orb. The wind died down, and Link rushed forward, ripping the threads away. When he saw her pale flesh, he gripped it, pulling the light form from her cocoon. When finished, he stared in shock.

The tall woman had been replaced by a smaller, more childlike form, with an enlarged head and pointed ears. Her orange hair had been pulled back into a ponytail, and her eyes were abnormally large, though closed, in sleep. She had been transformed into an imp, as she had been when the two first met.

She was breathing, but Link had almost lost her once, and that was not to be forgotten easily. Slowly, but surely, he shimmied underneath her, before using the wall and his nose to reposition her along his back. Once settled securely in place, Link searched for a way out of his current location.

The door to his room was locked, and though he slammed into it, he could not break it. Barking received no answer, and Link began to grow desperate. Padding onto the balcony was quickly followed by jumping down into the moat.

Cold water splashed against the duo, nearly dislodging Link's passenger. Pulling himself out, Link almost shook, before realizing that Midna was in no condition to hold herself on his back. The chill of the spring night combined with his soaked fur couldn't do any good for either of them, so Link kept moving. As quickly as he dared, Link approached the large wooden doors of the castle. He took a moment to prepare himself before pressing against them. They easily opened, which surprised the wolf, though he took no time to ponder. Entering the castle once more, Link was met with the shocked gaze of a few of a few of the castle's inhabitants.

* * *

Pikachu had been curled in the corner, trying unsuccessfully to make Pichu focus on her training. "You know, if you would practice on your fighting for a bit longer than you spend in your orchard, you could probably get better."

"My trees won't tend themselves," Pichu replied smugly.

"Your body won't get stronger unless you try to better yourself."

"Why should I do something I don't want to?"

"If you were stronger, you could defend the orchard without my help."

"You aren't the only one who helps out, and besides, you wouldn't stop even if I grew stronger. Your sweet tooth would never allow someone to damage the crops."

Having no argument for that, Pikachu huffed, and Pichu triumphantly skipped away, leaving the room behind.

It was then that the doors opened, and Pikachu sensed that something was wrong. Ears pricked forward, she turned to the door, where a wolf had entered the building. Samus drew her weapon, though she did not fire. Lucina pulled the tiniest bit of her sword out of its sheath, readying it for an easy withdrawal, though not an obvious threat. Pit simply looked down from his perch on the chandelier, unconcerned with the animal.

When the wolf did not attack, the people in the room were put at ease, though Pikachu still felt that something was off. She watched as the wolf unsuccessfully tried to get the attention of first Samus, then Lucina, then Little Mac. Each either ignored the four legged beast or, thinking he wanted affection, gave a few absentminded pats as they continued their own tasks or conversations. Frustrated, the wolf started up the stairs, determined to get help from somewhere. Pikachu stepped into his path.

"Are you alright?" The wolf paused, ears flicking over to the yellow mouse, before answering.

"No. My friend will not rise. I fear for her safety."

"Where is she? Maybe I can help."

"She is with me now. Please, help her."

"Follow me." Pikachu jogged away, thinking that with her speed, she'd likely leave him behind if she ran.

"where are we going? I can get there faster myself."

At Link's words, Pikachu smiled a bit. "I can speed up, myself. I just didn't know if you could keep up."

Link growled a bit at her levity, but was grateful when she ran at full force. He himself was able to keep up, but only when he dashed forward at his maximum. The duo traveled down the halls, taking few turns, before they came across the infirmary.

"Now, our regular doctor is out of commission, so I'll have to do," Pikachu said, laying out a soft towel. "Not that it would make a difference, since they wouldn't understand us anyway."

"That's okay, just, please, hurry," the wolf whined, familiar blue eyes filled with concern.

Pikachu gently moved the imp onto the towel, then she directed the wolf to lift his charge onto the table. Once there, Pikachu set to work. As she used the tools available to diagnose her patient, she explained her actions to the anxious wolf, since he did not seem to be familiar with their functions.

"Heartbeat is steady, breathing regular. No signs of toxins in her system. I think a bit of rest will be all she needs," Pikachu said, smiling. "Oh, you never introduced yourself. I'm Pikachu."

"Thank you, Pikachu. I'm Link."

"You are? Well, I guess it's a good thing we've found each other. I can probably answer any questions you have," said Pikachu with pride.

With slight hesitation, Link responded, "Alright. Where am I?"

With that, Pikachu explained everything she knew, from the goddesses' failed attempt at reincarnation all the way to the child's quest for forgiveness.

Link now knew that Ganondorf was not his enemy here, nor was anyone in this castle. He also now understood that, according to those he had met, his own Goddesses had betrayed him, though that made no sense. The other thing that made no sense was the fact that he was a wolf.

Before anything else could be said, Midna blinked her eyes open. Link jumped up, tail straight up with concern as he whined.

"I'm fine, dog-breath." She reached up to swat his face away and her tiny hand came into view. With a shriek, she levitated, looking over her form. Face contorting with outrage, slammed down onto the table with shock and embarrassment. "When I agreed to help you, I didn't agree to _this_."

"Midna, what are you talking about?" Link asked.

"I'm talking about your little _issue_. Apparently, someone here tried and failed to eliminate you from the timelines completely. Now you are the Hero of Twilight, and they wanted me to help."

Link's head tilted to the side in confusion, before he remembered what Fox and Pikachu had said previously. It seemed that it was true, but who would try to get rid of his eternal soul?

"I agreed, but I did not sign up for being in this wretched form again," Midna continued, unaware of Link's confusion.

"I know you guys don't really know me, but maybe I can help." Pikachu wanted to offer her assistance even though she knew she'd likely be ignored.

"What is that thing? Oh well, we don't have time for this." Midna's smirk was back. "Come on beast, let's figure this out." Practically throwing herself onto his back, Midna settled into her usual place.

"I'm sorry. I think it's because I am changed with Twilight, but she can understand me, not you. I have to go." With that, Link padded out, off to find more answers.

* * *

Exiting the one room, Link heard the sounds of light conversation. Curiosity piqued, Link trotted over to another hospital room. Ear against the door, Link was able to clearly hear the arguing from within.

"Mario, he cannot be trusted."

"That's not for you to decide. I'm older and-" the second voice, Mario, said.

"Hush. You need rest."

"No!" Mario grew louder. "Not until you understand that he was just lost!"

"It doesn't matter anymore."

There was a pause, then Mario spoke very quietly, so that Link had to strain to hear. "Then why are you still upset, Luigi?"

"He hurt you. There can be no forgiveness for that. Now get some rest."

Link had heard enough. This issue was clearly none of his business, and it wouldn't help him later. He turned and trotted away. He had gone so far down the hall that he didn't see the owner of the first voice leave the room.

"Link will pay. No matter what form he currently resides in. He was once, and always will be, a monster."


	18. Chapter 18

Running through the halls, Link stumbled across a large, impressive door. He recognized it from the night before. If anybody knew where his sword was, Master Hand would. He pushed against the door and was pleased when it opened. Dashing inside, he was met with the sight of two giant gloved hands.

"What is the meaning of this?" asked Master Hand. Of course, the left had no response to give, other than a few chuckles.

"I don't have time for this. Crazy Hand, go back to your room. I will deal with you in a moment."

Once the left hand, now known to Link as Crazy Hand, exited, the right turned to his unexpected guest.

"What business would you have here? I told you to stay put, Link. And who are you?"

"You'd like to know, wouldn't you?" Midna sneered, tossing her head. "Actually, I know exactly what kind of creature you are. You're the one who tried to kill Link!"

"Those blasted goddesses sent you, didn't they?" Master Hand was barely listening, as usual. "Look, whatever they told you is likely wrong, but I don't have time to deal with this."

"Excuse me? You caused this, now you have to fix it!"

"Listen, you little imp. As I said, I don't have time to deal with you. Why don't you go play with your little doggy somewhere else? I'm going to fix this on my own, so you just keep him safe, if you can even manage that much." With that, he pushed them into the hall, and then closed the doors behind, locking them out.

* * *

"How dare he!" Midna shouted, banging on the door with her tiny fists. When that proved unsuccessful, she returned to her perch on Link's back. "Come on, we've got to find the Master Sword. Then you at least would be able to go back to normal."

Link whined softly in response, knowing how she loathed this form. He turned from the door, darting away. As they searched, Link listened for any clues, though the castle seemed to be silent. After around an hour of searching, he found the armory.

Entering, he saw thousands of swords alone, some hung on walls, some thrown haphazardly into piles. Shields and helmets littered the floor, and the place was a mess. Before he could begin his search, he was stopped.

"Greetings. I am Lucario. I do not recognize you, so I cannot permit you to be here."

"Please, I have just one thing I need, and then I will leave," said Link.

"State your purpose here," growled out the blue Pokémon.

"I'm searching for the Blade of Evil's Bane, as I am under a curse currently," Link answered, hoping that clear, honest answers would help.

"I do not believe such a weapon is currently here, and if it were, I would not allow just anyone to get it in their grasp."

"Listen here, dog breath," Midna remarked, tired of this interaction. "We don't have time to deal with the likes of you. Why don't you-"

"I have already told you that not just anybody is permitted here" Lucario stated, paws glowing with aura. "Now, begone, or I will be forced to intervene.

"Are you threatening us with a light show?" Midna chuckled, unimpressed. "Move aside, jackal."

Lucario was not amused with this blatant disrespect. He lunged forward, striking Midna directly in her chest, knocking her off of Link's back. Link, feeling the sudden change in weight, leapt back, intending to protect her.

"Out of the way, fur-ball," Midna snapped, rising to her feet. "I'll handle this. You just keep looking!"

Link whined softly, but he knew that this must have meant a great deal to Midna, so he followed her wishes. Dashing away he returned to his original quest.

Lucario growled at Link, but when he attempted to pursue, a large, glowing red hand gripped him, yanking him back to Midna. She smirked at him, slamming him into the ground. Lucario sent a small Aura Sphere at her, loosening her grasp. He then slashed at her, causing her to gasp in pain. However, she backhanded him, sending the creature flying.

Crashing into a pile of helmets, Lucario tumbled to the floor, metal raining down around him. As soon as he landed on the ground, he used the distance to his advantage and fully charged an Aura Sphere. He then raced towards her. She slammed her hand down, intending to catch him, but he dodged her blow. Attempting to slice her with the spike on his paws was ineffective, as she quickly teleported away.

Lucario rushed at her once more, but this time, when she dodged behind him, he turned, launching the Aura Sphere straight into her back. She shrieked, then caught him in her hand. She squeezed, intending to crush him, but he bit her, and escaped.

Snarling, Lucario kicked Midna, and she hissed in pain, once more teleporting. Making a fist, she slammed her hand into a pile of swords, sending them careening towards him. As he dodged around the projectiles, she sent a few small blasts of energy at him, mimicking his Aura Sphere. In return, Lucario used Extreme Speed to dash forward, followed by a Force Palm, sending Midna flying.

Rising to her feet, Midna glared at Lucario as he licked blood off of his muzzle. His Aura now flared around him as he took in the damage done. Feeling the pain in his body, he bared his teeth. Midna was no better, as her small frame was littered with bruises. Their eyes met for a moment as they sized each other up.

It was Midna who struck first, slinging another sword at him. He dodged around the attack, growling the whole way. He launched a small Aura Sphere at her, then kicked forcefully. As she flew across the room, he used Extreme Speed to catch up, then grabbed her. He held her up, then used all of his strength to punch her, and she slammed into the ceiling.

Gritting her teeth, Midna used her height to her advantage and grabbed Lucario. She squeezed as she slammed him first into the floor, then the ceiling, then the wall, and the floor once more. He slipped from her grasp, coughing, but not defeated. He rose unsteadily to his feet, then used Extreme Speed to reach her. He then attacked, and she gasped.

The two separated once more, breathing heavily. Before they could continue, Link rushed around the corner, panting.

"It's not here, but I picked up on its scent."

"In that case, we have no reason to stay. You get out of it this time, mutt." With that said, Midna leapt away from Lucario, landing on Link's back. The duo turned away, leaving the room.

Lucario stared after them for a long moment. When he was sure that there was no trickery at play, he resumed his own quest. Shifting through the weapons, he came upon a silvery staff. Cradling it to his chest as he returned to his room, Lucario remembered the bond he had shared with his Master.

* * *

 **AN: Question: Why did I reference the movie with Sir Aaron?**

 **Answer: The current voice actor for Lucario in Smash is the same as in that movie. I thought it fitting. Besides, Lucario wouldn't just be sitting in the armory. He is not a guard, nor would he spend his time in the armory for no reason.**


	19. Chapter 19

Following the Master Sword's scent, Link and Midna once more traversed the halls. Knowing they wouldn't miss it, Link moved far more quickly this time around-quickly enough, in fact, that as he rounded a corner, he ran directly into someone clothed in green.

Luigi, who had been lost in thoughts, was startled at the sudden appearance of the wolf, but when Link waged his tail slowly, Luigi relaxed.

"Hey there, puppo," Luigi murmured, rubbing Link behind his ears. Link recognized the voice form earlier. Not used to such kind touches, initially flinched, but then, as Luigi persisted with the gentle rubs, Link pressed into the contact, eyes closing in bliss. His tail began to wag, a small, gentle movement, almost not moving at all. "I hope you do not mind me petting your wolf, Miss."

"Normally I would, but you had the decency to apologize," said Midna, always imperious. Permission Granted, Luigi scraped his fingers through Link's fur, smiling as the wolf relaxed. His mouth opened, his tongue lolled, and he gave a soft whine of pleasure. Link gave a momentary start when Luigi rubbed his belly, but soon, Link's tail was moving at full speed, no longer afraid. It was at this point that Midna had had enough.

"We really must be going." Luigi instantly stepped away, and Midna kicked Link's sides, digging in her heels. Link whined at the sudden change, but he knew he had a job to do. Tail drooping slightly, ears flat against his head, Link focused on the scent of the Master Sword, then took off, leaving a thoughtful Luigi behind.

* * *

As he ran, Link tried to ignore Midna's taunts. "You really are a dog. I mean, who even was he? You just submitted like some animal." He knew that Midna was kidding, but it still hurt. Maybe she had a point. He had been very careless, letting a stranger pet him, but it had felt _so nice_ to not be treated as a hero or a monster. Just having someone _care_ about him was more than he was used to.

The scent of the sword became even stronger as Link rounded a final corner, coming to a halt. There, in the center of a large room, stood the Master Sword, in all of its glory.

* * *

As the sun shone down through the open skylight, a soft breeze flowed through, causing a few dead leaves to skitter across the floor. Link padded up slowly, feral eyes shining in the light. Light bounced off the floor, illuminating every aspect of the wolf, from his dark fur to his shiny claws, to the ultramarine earrings in his ears. Shadows seemed to lengthen as he approached the sword, before a dark nose made contact.

A bright flash, and then, in the wolf's place, a hylian stood. Link, in his true form gripped the Master Sword in his hands, then slowly, carefully, drew it from the pedestal, reclaiming it as his. Holding it firmly in his hand, Link gave an experimental swing, then Leapt forward thrusting the sword in a mock attack. Link then parried and slashed, taking down enemies only he could see. When it was finished, Link spun his sword in his hand, then sheathed it.

Slow, sarcastic clapping sounded from the doorway, startling Link from his reverie. He jolted, then turned towards his companion.

"Nice to see you in such high spirits," she jeered. "Now, could we please get a move on? We still need to figure out why you are here, and why that hand tried to kill you."

Sighing, Link exited the room, and Midna entered his shadow. Couldn't he get a break? Link was so disappointed in his life at that moment that he didnt notice the door seal behind him, fading from existence. The wall smoothed over, leaving behind no trace of the room.

* * *

Luigi continued on his path, a slight skip in his step. That poor wolf was a bit underfed, and seemed a bit too... wary, for his tastes. He understood that being a wild animal would cause some of the tension, but clearly, this one was tamed. Shouldn't that have at least been enough to warrant some more ease with human kind? And the way that imp kicked him was horrible.

However, he had managed to give it a moment of happiness, and it had gotten his thoughts away from Link for a bit.

Luigi heard laughter up ahead, and, curious, he entered the main hall. Link was there, surrounded by the others, looking clueless, as always. This alone was enough to grate on Luigi's nerves, thoughts of the wolf forgotten. Hiding his anger behind his faked bubbly persona, Luigi smiled, striding up to Link.

"Hey there," he said, perfectly faked smile on his face. "I'm Luigi. It's nice to meet you again."

Link, not wanting everyone to know about his ability, smiled back, shaking the offered hand. Noticing the silence, Luigi's smile faded slightly. This was not what he was used to. Link was known for his smiles, but also for the kindness in his voice. Even the child had spoken. This Link was silent, and while it could simply be nerves, Luigi hoped it was a permanent feature. After all, if he never said anything, Luigi could still hold him accountable for his crimes-

"It's... It's good to meet you."

And there it was. Link spoke in that oh so _familiar_ tone of voice, the one Luigi had know for such a long time. How could this person and his friend be so alike? Surely they had to be different.

Luigi shook himself from his musings and forced himself to be more cheerful.

"I'm so glad you're all right. We had quite the scare with you transforming from yourself to a child, and now to this version of yourself. I hope we get this sorted a-okay."

"And I as well, Luigi."

Interesting. While the child had been simply confused, this one was actively trying to rectify the situation. It seemed that, while he couldn't be trusted completely, he at least wouldn't be getting in the way. This would be useful information. However, being so close to the one who attempted to murder his brother was still a nerve wracking experience.

Luigi smiled once more, then hastily made his escape, covering it up with a whoop of joy and a promise to return later. Everyone else seemed pleased with the reaction, but for Link, it was odd. He had seen how careful and calculating Luigi could be, and seeing this drastic change was alarming. There was nothing he could do about it now, though, as so many people wanted his attention at the moment.

* * *

The people was eventually calmed down, and Link was able to escape. Returning to his room, Midna claimed the large bed for herself, turning Link into a wolf to justify him sleeping on the floor. Growling dark thoughts to himself, Link slowly rose to his feet, making sure Midna was asleep. He then padded out of the door he'd been careful not to latch earlier.

Traversing the dark halls in the darkness was more intimidating in the darkness, especially on his own. Link had been through far worse, however, so he shook off those negative thoughts. His feet took him to the infirmary, and when he realized this, he gave a soft huff of laughter. Was he seriously looking for Luigi?

It appeared so, for a button had fallen off of Luigi's overalls, and Link quickly memorized the scent. Following Luigi's scent was confusing, but after a few errors, Link learned to distinguish the freshest traces over the old. Using this method eventually led Link to Luigi's bedroom, where he stopped.

How exactly was he going to do this? He had no hands, and the door opened outward, so Link had no way of entering. Annoyed at himself, Link almost turned away, before a treacherous thought entered his mind. He didn't want to sink to that level. There was no way he would ever do something so humiliating. And yet... He wanted to. He wanted to be treated kindly, even for a bit longer. But it was so risky. What if Luigi was annoyed at being woken up at this hour? And he had changed so suddenly earlier. Was he even trustworthy? He was clearly fooling so many people, so how could Link believe anything he said or did?

As it turned out, Link really didn't care. At that moment, the reward outweighed the risk. He lifted a paw into the air and scratched the door.

Instant shame filled him. How could he sink to such depths? Midna was right, he really was an animal. He was so pathetic, he just wanted to run, but he _really_ wanted this. Whining softly to himself in shame, tail tucked in fear of rejection and ridicule, Link scratched on the door again. This time, he hear movement on the other side.

Panicking, Link scrambled to get away from it before Luigi found him, but the door opened, and there he was.


	20. Chapter 20

Luigi was absolutely confused. He had been working on his plan to send Link away when he was disturbed. Surely he hadn't been in here too long? He had, in the past, spent all night in his room, and Mario would come to get him. But it was still dark outside. Surely he hadn't spent all day and night in his chambers. It was then that he heard the sound again.

It wasn't a knock, but a gentle scratching. This is what Luigi didn't understand. Duck Hunt had come by only once, but the duck had knocked. All the Pokemon knew to knock by now, so who could be at the door?

Rising to his feet, Luigi made his way over, rubbing his eyes blearily. What he saw on the other side shocked him. It was the wolf from before, cowering away, as though ashamed. Luigi's face broke out into a gentle, natural smile, and he crouched down, one arm extended.

"Hey there, puppo," he crooned, smiling at his furred companion. "Did ya miss me that badly?"

The wolf just stared, seemingly unable to comprehend the gesture. Finally, he crawled over, submissive. He wouldn't look at Luigi's face, or at anything other than the floor. When he finally made it over, he just sat there, as though waiting for punishment.

"What a good boy," breathed Luigi, trying to calm the creature. "What a sweet, good boy."

Rubbing softly at Link's ears, Luigi continued to mutter sweet nonsense to the scared animal. Link, for his part, knew that this was not okay, and that it would probably cause more issues in the future. However, he just wanted affection. He'd been thrust from his home, forced to fight in a war he wanted no part in, protecting a land he barely belonged to and a world beside his own. He had saved the ones he loved, but he hadn't even been able to spend any time with them. The Goddesses had taken him before he made it that far.

Shuddering with these thoughts, Link was startled when Luigi pulled him in for a hug. Shushing his whines, Luigi lifted the saddened creature into his arms, cradling Link there. He then entered his room, shutting the door behind him.

* * *

After the initial panic had worn off, Luigi spent around two hours soothing the wolf, which now sleeping soundly on the bed. Luigi didn't want this to become a habit, and he didn't want fur and dirt in his sheets, but the wolf had come to him, seeking something, and Luigi had a soft spot for animals.

However, he still had to figure out how to get rid of Link.

"He seems to not remember what happened, which is unfortunate, but it doesn't change what he did. Link must be punished." At this, Link woke, but his instincts told him to keep still, so he listened.

"I mean, outright battling him would be a mistake, as he wouldn't know when to quit, and others would see. I'll have to be careful." Luigi began pacing, and Link followed the movements with barely opened eyes.

"Poison could work, but I don't know what works on hylians, and asking would be very suspicious. As far as I'm aware, Link has no exploitable allergies."

Link was confused. What had he done to get this nice individual to want him dead so badly?

"Perhaps... perhaps I could be sneaky about it. Mario doesn't remember this old thing, and if he does, I could blame mind control again. I think it's time for Mr. L to make a comeback."

It was at this point that Link had heard enough. Rising with an exaggerated yawn and whine, he stretched, letting his tongue lol. Smiling, Luigi stroked the wolf, before opening the door. Link was confused for a moment.

"You have someone waiting for you. Judging by how cautious you were when you arrived, I'd say you weren't supposed to leave."

Link leapt from the bed, then rubbed his head into Luigi's leg in appreciation. He then strode out, before dashing away, back to his own room.

Luigi saw the slight spring in Link's step and smiled. That wolf was going to be all right. Closing the door behind him, Luigi lay in bed, finding that he didn't mind the fur as he thought he would.

* * *

Link returned to his room, finding the door mercifully open. Entering softly, he nosed the door closed as best a he could, before curling on his blanket.

"And where have you been?" growled Midna, glaring at him as she flipped the light switch, illuminating the room. Link jumped with a start, then huffed at her.

"That really oughtn't be your concern. I don't have to listen to you."

"You're my servant, and if that's somehow not enough, the Goddesses themselves sent me to you. That gives me control."

"Maybe I'm sick of doing things for others" snapped Link, teeth bared. "I spent so long without doing anything for me, and then they couldn't even let me have anything after. They took me before I made it home; did they tell you that?" Irritated, Link jumped onto the bed, purposefully taking as much space as he needed.

"Oh, boo hoo, you think I got everything I wanted," sneered Midna.

"But you got to go home," he snarled. "You got everything you were questing for. I didn't even get to say goodbye."

"Oh, sure, poor little Link didn't get the happy ending he desired."

"I didn't get an ending at all! We separated, and on my way home they erased me from the timeline."

"So? They got to be happy, isn't that what you wanted?"

"You know nothing! Leave me alone."

No matter what Midna did, Link continued to sulk until he fell asleep, and when he finally did, she sighed, covering him in his blanket.

As the moon slowly set in the sky, Midna gazed at it, deep in thought. Link felt unfinished. As though he was taken prematurely. Perhapes closure was what he needed, but reports said that the last Link got closure as well, so clearly, that wan't all that needed to be done. So what needed to be done? Every Link had been taken just like this, so there was no way they could go through every one. How could they make every Link be at peace at once? Or was that even what needed to be done?

Thoughts of a similar nature swirled about her head until morning.


	21. Chapter 21

The next morning was more than eventful. Master hand thought he had figured out how to fix his toy, while Midna had her own idea. Link didn't want to do anything and was refusing to go anywhere. Luigi had his own agenda.

After an hour of poking and prodding, Midna finally persuaded Link to get out of bed, though he did so begrudgingly. Transforming into his hylian for, Link stepped out of his door and was instantly assaulted. Blinded by a sticky substance, Link flailed a bit, before lashing out, finding nobody else. Behind him, Midna chortled, amused by the situation. Wiping his face, Link was shocked.

"Was that a _cream pie_?"

Midna just giggled harder. Sighing, Link returned to his room, showering again, then putting on a fresh tunic. Cautiously this time, Link opened the door, then quickly dodged the second pie. He just managed to catch a glimpse of green and black before the assailant was out of sight. Sighing again, Link continued onward, trying to find Master Hand's office. He was stopped by Pikachu, who just smiled at him, hugging his leg, before moving on.

Surprised, Link blushed a bit, then found his destination. Knocking, he was met with a gruff reply, "Enter."

Pushing the door open, Link was grabbed by Master Hand, who began giggling madly. Spluttering, Link tried to escape, but the hand's grip was firm.

"Stop wiggling, I've got the answer."

Link didn't know what he was talking about, but instinct told him that this was not good.

"It was stress that made this issue, so if I put you under enough stress again, you'll go back to normal." With that, the hand started to squeeze, then thought better of it. He released Link, who crumpled to the Earth, gasping for breath. Midna rushed forward, standing over him.

"Get back, you animal!"

"Oh, the little girl wants something?" He said in a sickly sweet voice. "Sorry dear, but the adults are talking."

"That's it!" she cried, slamming her hands together. "Do you want to fight?"

"No, unlike you, I'm actually very busy." He Grabbed her by her leg, throwing her out of the room. Befor she could enter, he shut the door, locking her out.

Crazy hand entered, already sensing something violent was about to occur.

"Hey, buddy." said Master Hand. "Care to squash this one?"

Giggling, Crazy Hand squeezed tightly, but Link bit him, and Crazy hand dropped him. Link, needing a quick escape, struggled to his feet, and was knocked by Crazy Hand's flailing through a window, landing in the moat.

"You let him escape! Idiot!" Screamed Master Hand as he beat down his other half. Crazy hand took no damage and just chuckled, muttering softly to himself.

* * *

Link struggled in the water, dragged down by his clothes. Normally, there would be no issue, but after being nearly crushed to death twice in a row, Link couldn't get to the surface. It was lucky that there was another in the water.

He felt something grab him, but he was too tired to escape, and he fell limp, letting it drag him away. To his surprise, he ended up on the surface, then on the land. He coughed up some water, then took huge, gulping breaths. When he'd finally stopped panicking, he looked towards his savior. It appeared to be a large blue frog-like creature, with a large tongue wrapped around her neck.

"Grenin-ja," she said with a salute, diving into the moat once more.

Link rose shakily to his feet, then began walking away. He knew he ought to move faster, but his ribs still ached, and his lungs still burned. His whole body felt like lead, and his head was foggy. Altogether, Link was not doing well, but he could still move.

Skirting around the moat, Link realized that he was near the back of the castle. Not having the energy left t sigh, he resigned himself to a long, slow walk. As he made his way around, a few people passed him, but none seemed to realize the condition he was in. As he traversed the grounds, Link wanted to ask for help, but he didn't have the strength. With relief strong enough to bring Link to tears, he found a side door that was thankfully unlocked.

Trembling, Link entered the castle, where people gasped at his appearance. Rubbing his chest, Link made it to a chair before collapsing into it. Vision fading, Link heard excited chatter before he succumbed to the darkness plaguing his vision.

* * *

Midna pounded on the door, realizing quickly that her futile attempts would not gain her entry. Instead, she needed to find another way, and fast.

As quickly as she could, she teleported as far as she could down the hall, took a second to save up energy, and teleported again. This process repeated as she made her way around, desperately trying to find a way to Link. Suddenly, she had an idea. Outside! There was a window in that room. If she broke her way in, she could maybe help. Taking a moment to replenish her energy, she went teleported once more, this time with a destination in mind.

Appearing outside of his office, she was stunned to find the window already opened. Of course Link would escape. She'd left him alone in similar situations before. Shaking her head and pushing the guilt down, Midna began carefully searching for Link. She noticed a place a bit downstream where the grass was messed up. Landing daintily, she noticed how this area had drag marks in the mud, as though something (or someone) had been dragged out of the water.

Eyes glowing in anger, Midna wanted to find whoever dared to treat Link like an object. However, she had bigger fish to fry. Following the footprints and water, she figured out the general direction he'd gone, but it wasn't straight. It wobbled, as though he'd had trouble walking. When the water drops dried up, Midna didn't know how to find Link.

"Tracking is so much easier with a wolf," Midna said decisively. A giggle sounded. Whirling around, Midna came face to face with a duck. Under the duck was Laughing Dog, chuckling to himself.

Now feeing awkward, Midna folded her arms over her chest.

"How dare you laugh at a lady," she snarled. "Why don't you help me?" The duck quacked, and the two seemed to hold a short conversation, before the Dog nodded.

"Great, took you long enough. I'm looking for a friend of mine. Link, to be exact." The dog's tail wagged and the duck moved back, leaving Midna room to rest on the dog's shoulders.

"O-Oh. Thank you. At least you have the most basic of manners." Secretly touched by the kind gesture, Midna stammered a bit.

The trio took off, and Midna was startled. This was their top speed, and it didn't come close to Wolf Link's speed. However, Link wouldn't be happy if she was rude, and besides, she was tired. And if she slept a bit, nobody mentioned anything. The duck simply adjusted so she could hold onto the sleeping princess as they went.


	22. Chapter 22

By the time the trio made it to the castle, Link had been transferred to the was when Laughing Dog took off for his room, Midna in tow. He didn't know why she was alone, but Midna was afraid. She reminded him of Duck, who'd been so afraid when they'd met. Shaking away these memories, the duo known as Duck Hunt agreed to care for Midna while her friend recovered.

As she slept, Duck Hunt took her to their room, gently placing her onto the bed. Then, they curled up around her, trying to keep her warm. Duck settled next to Midna, head resting on her stomach. Midna awoke, and she couldn't leave now, but if she was honest, she didn't want to. Tough the texture was different, being wrapped in the warmth reminded her of nights in Hyrule Field, and she slept once more, content.

* * *

Throughout Link's recovery, Midna became close with the duo. She even let her snarky attitude drop, smiling and laughing in delight rather than scorn. As for Link, he was in a medically induced coma, so there was nothing Midna could do.

Luigi, for his part, had been planning. He had at one point thought about simply unplugging the life support, but somehow, that felt wrong. He instead focused on training and plotting, hoping to make Link leave of his own choice. That way, nobody would have a reason to blame Luigi for anything.

As for Master Hand, he realized that crushing Link was a bad move. In fact, the Goddesses had heard (courtesy of Midna) and they had made sure he knew they were displeased. In fact, they were on their way to visit him at this time, and they were not going to be kind.

A golden glow filled the empty courtyard, and those who were outside fled to the safety of the castle walls. Master Hand was practically pushed out by Bowser, who was pleased to show the hand who was boss. Trembling slightly with the memory of their last encounter, Master Hand made his way to where the three were waiting.

"Ah, _esteemed_ friends, how glorious a day it is for you to be rejoining us. And so... unexpected is this honor."

"Stop wasting our time, we know what happened," proclaimed Din, loud as always.

"Bring us to the hero, and we'll depart with minimal punishment for you," stated Nayru.

"You have no power here!" asserted Master Hand, trying to reclaim the dignity he was rapidly losing.

Sighing, they simply cursed Master Hand.

"You are now forbidden from leaving this dimension of yours. You can contact others through the proper channels, but you will be unable to fight seriously. Breaking these rules will break you."

The Hand spluttered, but the trio ignored him as they entered the castle.

Making their way to the infirmary, the three healed Link, and then departed, claiming that the castle was too dirty for their tastes.

* * *

Link awoke slowly, and was instantly soothed at the sight of Midna. However, he first needed to see how bad his wounds were. His ribs were bandaged, likely broken. Otherwise, he was just bruised. Midna turned, smiling gently when he awoke.

"I was worried about you for a moment there. You haven't been awake in days." Before he could question her, she continued. "You had a punctured lung, a few broken ribs, and internal bleeding. Luckily, the Goddesses healed you, so you are free to go now."

"Wait, they were here?" Link was upset. He'd wanted to talk to them and demand an explanation, but it appeared that that would have to wait. Rubbing his eyes, Link rose to his feet, exiting the infirmary. He strode to his room, but what he saw shocked him.

The door was unhinged and splintered, the knob bent out of shape. His mattress was ripped open, pieces littering the floor. The smashed window left glass over the stained carpet, and all of the faucets in his bathroom had been left on, flooding his room. Wallpaper peeled off the walls, strips floating in the puddles littering the floor. Stepping inside, Link was thankful that he always took his most valued objects with him, because his spare tunics were destroyed. The frame of the bef was in pieces, bent out of shape, strode around the room.

A single note was on the wall, undamaged. It said: _Leave. You don't belong here. You have done horrible things, and the others may forgive you, but I know better._

 _Mr L_

"What a monster," said Midna, shaking her head. "I swear, this place is disgusting. It seems like everyone has their own agenda."Link was disappointed. Luigi had seemed like such a nice individual, why would he do this? Sighing, Link knew he'd have to find somewhere else to stay. He couldn't go to Master Hand after the attempted murder, and there was no other way he knew of to get this taken care of.

"We could always bed with Duck Hunt. They seemed welcoming."

Link was surprised. Midna usually didn't like others, always having something to say about everyone. What had happened while he slept?

Nodding, he agreed to Midna, since he didn't know what else to do. She hid in his shadow, and he traveled. On their way over, people gave him dirty looks. Villager even spat in his direction. Confused, and hurt, Link awkwardly shuffled to his destination, but not before Fox had something to say.

"We didn't ask for you, you know," He said angrily. "This is the second time we've had one of our own hurt because of you. You better have a good reason for this." Not waiting, he strode away.

Mario, who had recovered at this point, smiled

"Don't take it to heart, Link," He said. "I know you didn't cause this. It was that imp. Watch out for it, Link."

* * *

In the safety of their temporary room, Link sighed. It seemed that everyone blamed him for something. He just didn't remember what he'd done. It would've been bad if everyone was unkind.

Nobody was around, so Link had Midna turn him into a wolf. Midna startled to sit in her usual place, but Link wouldn't let her.

"I need you to stay behind."

"Name one good reason why," demanded Midna.

"People saw you with me. They might not remember you with me in this form, but they know you summoned the Goddesses. They don't trust you."

"Fine. Just, be quick about it."

* * *

Link went to Luigi's room, which had the door slightly opened this time. Entering, he found Luigi laying on the bed, wide awake, staring at the ceiling. Without preamble, Link hopped up to join him, playing the animal card to get information.

"Hey again, puppo," mumbled Luigi. He wasn't into it at the moment. "It's been awhile, hasn't it?"

Link whined in response, trying to cheer up Luigi.

"I just... everyone agrees with me now. They all know how bad Link is." He stroked Link's head with ignorance. "Why does it feel so... bad? I need revenge, and he apologized, but I can't just forgive him, can I?"

Link leaned closer, pressing against Luigi's side, comforting him as best as he could. They remained like that until the sun rose.

* * *

 **AN: I hate to do this again. I have to turn in my laptop once more. When I get it back, I will finish it. I truly am sorry.**


End file.
